Baby Boy's Bedding is Here!

SJ was pretty excited about it too:)

Getting Ready for our Baby Boy

As our baby boy will be coming in October I figured it was time to get ready for him.  I made a list of things we need to get done that seems a bit overwhelming but I know God is always good to allow me the time to tackle different tasks.  I was super encouraged when we got the first thing off our list done last Saturday-organize the garage.  This is always such a dreaded thing, not sure why, but once we got started it only took us a few hours.  Then a few days ago we were able to get a crib and changing table on Craigslist.  I love Craigslist!  It has served us well.  I also finally found some bedding that I like and that Andrew liked for this little boy and ordered that so it should be here any day.  God has already provided above and beyond and fast!  Hopefully after our vacation I will feel more energized (yeah right I will be starting my 3rd trimester next week!) and I can start the next thing on our list. 

Softball

Andrew is playing on our church softball team again this year.  Its fun to go to the games when we can.  We have missed a few being out of town but we got to go last week and cheer him on.  Sadie loved it.  She was just soaked with sweat by the end of it all.  We love being there with everyone but it sure is hot!  Andrew even let her wear his lucky Angels hat for a picture and yes, my husband is the only one that wears a headband:)

Family Camp

 We headed to the Oregon coast for our church's family camp.  We were happy to stop and stay one night with the Costello's along the way.  We got to meet the newest addition to the family, Ivan Tate and after many attempts we got a good group photo.

 

 We got to the coast and experienced rainy weather so that put a damper on things.  We were still able to enjoy our yurt (that's what this tent thing is called) and have some fellowship with our church family.  We are not campers so this yurt works for us!

 My man making me a fire because it was cold!!!  I couldn't believe I could be in so much rain and cold in the middle of July.

 SJ loved being on the top bunk with daddy.  After a long drive we made it back home.  Now to conquer the laundry from the trip!

Flock Group at the Lake

We are lake lovers!  We just love any reason to go there during the summer.  Last Sunday our flock group met up there to hang out and have a devotional together.  It was such a blessing to have fellowship with one another.  Andrew and I are so thankful for this special group of people in our lives.  I told Andrew as we were leaving that I wished we could do this every Sunday!

Resolved Notes

For John MacArthur's second sermon I didn't have many notes because I could not write fast enough!  He taught on Isaiah 6 but he explained Isaiah 5 so we could understand the next chapter better.  I have heard many sermons on Isaiah 6 but never has anyone broken down what was going on in Isaiah 5 to me.  It was very interesting and helped me see Isaiah 6 in a whole new way. Once he got to the main passage here are the notes I have:
The person God uses in crisis is one who understands His sovereignty and holiness, one who understands their sinfulness, who are drawn into repentance, and are cleansed and forgiven.  God is not looking for perfect people but forgiven people.  We must be broken, penitent, and forgiven.

Next C.J. Mahaney preached on Jude 22 "When Someone Doubts".  
1.  The reality of doubt
-contend for the faith
-contend with our hearts
-contend for others
-satan is at work
-false teachers
-live in a sinful world
*every Christian to some degree struggles with the temptation to doubt-don't be surprised at this temptation!*
Don't be surprised but be prepared!
2.  The appropriate response to someone who doubts
-have mercy: remember and acknowledge that we have received mercy, help them understand the differences between doubt and unbelief.  Unbelief=refusal to believe, defiance.  Doubt=uncertainty, does not mean absence of faith, wavering in their belief.  Resolve doubt with God's Word.  Those who don't understand this distinction easily find themselves in paralyzing condemnation.  Help them discern the nature of their doubt (theological, moral).  We are most vulnerable to doubt when going through severe and prolonged suffering.  Suffering always has some degree of mystery.  Get used to it.  "When you cannot trace His Hand you must trace His heart." Spurgeon.  Assuring them with the gospel provides assurance.


My last bit of Resolved notes comes from Rick Holland's last sermon.  He preached on Lamentations 3.
3 Theological Reminders When Facing Difficulty:
1.  The Lord is sovereign over people (v. 37).  People are only tools that God uses.  He's not responsible for sin but uses sin for His glory.  Example: Joseph-you meant it for evil but God meant it for good.  
2.  The Lord is sovereign over circumstances (v.38).  Providence=His sovereignty in your life (Ps. 135:6, 115:3).  God's truth is not dependent on our personal experience.  It is harder to trust God then to obey God.  
3.  The Lord is serious about our response (v.39).  We think we deserve good.  We complain because we are not aware of our sin.  Don't complain when God punishes for sins.


"Man's dislike at God's sovereignty arises from his suspicion of God's heart." Bonar.

"God's sovereignty is either your greatest comfort or biggest nightmare." Rick Holland.

You must put your thought of God between you and your anxiety.

Resolved Notes

At the next session Al Mohler preached on "How to Do the Will of God."  It was very practical and helpful.

He said there are many wrong views of God's will out there.  Some people view it as something you have to go search for like a buried treasure or a big mystery.  Some people don't seek it out because they are afraid of what it might be.  These wrong views are an insult to God's character.


15 Things You Already Know About the Will of God for your Life:
1.  That you were born
2.  That you will die (therefore time is precious!)
3.  That you grow
4.  That you were made male and female
5.  That you believe in Christ
6.  That you follow Christ as His disciple
7.  That you trust and obey the Scriptures
8.  That you obey and respect all authorities
9.  That you be married
10.  That you be faithful in marriage
11.  That you be deeply involved in the local church
12.  That you lead (influence others)
13.  That you develop your gifts for God's kingdom
14.  That you share the gospel
15.  That you do everything for the glory of God


I love how this sermon made something that we do view as so hard to know very easy and basic to understand.  I wish I had heard this when I was younger!  It is good for me to think about now in choosing what to spend my time doing.  It is good for me to have this information to share with other young people as well as they finish high school or college and are looking to do the next thing.

Happy 4th of July!

I hope you all have a good 4th of July.  Here's  a few shots of our very patriotic baby.

24 Weeks

I am 24 weeks pregnant today but feeling more like 34 weeks.  I am just trying to survive the summer!

Resolved Messages

I wanted to let you know if you want to listen to these sermons online here is the website http://www.resolved.org/media/

They only have the first 4 sermons up right now but I am sure they will have them all up eventually.  Listening to them will be way better than reading my notes!

Resolved Notes

The 2nd session was with John MacArthur and he shared that there were 2 things early on in his ministry that he was convicted about and that has guided his whole ministry.  The first was confidence in the Scriptures and the second was the pursuit of holiness.  He preached on Psalm 19 to teach about having confidence in the Word of God for this sermon and preached on holiness in another sermon.  He went through every key word in verses 7-9.  

perfect=full completion
restore/transforming the soul=the Scripture is complete so it can totally transform the whole inner person.  It is the source of salvation.
testimony=God Himself speaking
sure=reliable
simple=open door in a person's brain.  Everything goes in and goes out.  To people who say they have an "open mind" we would say Scripture says-shut it!  They don't know what to keep in or out.
wise=skilled life in daily living-sanctification
precepts=principles, divine doctrine
right=right direction or path
rejoicing the heart=true joy is tied in obedience because obedience will give you a clear conscience.
commandments=these are not suggestions
pure=clear, defeats the statement that we don't really know what the Bible says
fear=worship manual.  Reveals how God is to be worshipped.  Worship is produced by truth.  You can only worship to the point that you comprehend about the glory of God.
endures=lasts forever because it is not stained.  It transcends all cultures and all times.
judgments=divine verdict of all cases producing comprehensive righteousness.

The Word of God is:
1.  Our greatest possession
2.  Our greatest pleasure
3.  Our greatest protector
4.  Our greatest provider
5.  Our greatest purifier

Joshua 1:8-This Book of the Law shall not depart from your mouth, but you shall meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do according to all that is written in it.  For then you will make your way prosperous, and then you will have good success. 

This sermon was so rich in information about this passage and I was so thankful for that.  I taught on this passage at our Mom's ministry meeting back in January so I was a little nervous at first to hear this message.  I thought-oh great!  I am going to see all the verses I messed up in!  But God was very kind and I can say now that I don't think I taught anything way off of what John did so that was encouraging.  I am excited to add these notes to my study notes on this passage and have a deeper richer understanding of the confidence we can have in the Word of God.

 

Do You Think She Likes It???

Family Lake Day

We went to the lake for the first time today as a family.  SJ and I went earlier in the summer with some friends from church but I didn't get her in the water.  Today she got in the water and loved it!  She also ate a huge mouth full of sand-lovely.  We hope to have more days at the "beach" as Andrew calls it.