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It is hard to believe we are already a month into 2021. As I write this, there is snow falling and covering all the surfaces of the landscape surrounding my home. It is beautiful. I love fresh snow. However, I don't like driving in it or watching it turn to brown slush as it gets disturbed by our coming and going.
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Our lives are much like that. The new year feels fresh at first, but then a month later, it can start to feel like that brown slush we drive through. The excitement wears off as we realize that most days are the same regardless of what year we are in. Family, work, health, government...it doesn't drastically change from day to day. It is in the long road that we see progress and growth made. But it takes the daily routines to pave a way for future growth. Resting in Christ today keeps us from feeling hopeless about the possibilities of change ahead. He transforms us one moment of obedience at a time.
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This is my goal every time I send this out. To encourage you to make every effort to know Christ in practical ways in your daily routines and rhythms. To create space for rest in who you are as an heir of His kingdom. To know you aren't alone in your faith journey. And to find helpful resources to live in the knowledge of truth.
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From understanding God's word, finding community, and growing in maturity and faith, we need to find resources to help us be intentional. Good things require effort. Living for Christ is not a passive event. We must pursue a relationship with God and others in the faith, so we can be strengthened to minister to those still without Christ and stand strong in this broken world.
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Together, we can remain faithful and cheer each other on as we make every effort to live a life worthy of our salvation through Christ. Love you all!
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In case you missed it, here are some links to my latest posts:
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A few of my favorite things right now!
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Best Monthly Read:
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Lysa Terkeurst's new book on forgiveness is challenging, practical, and full of biblical wisdom. I believe you will be blessed by the honesty of her story and how God helped her live in the middle of knowing pain and not letting pain control her.
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If you would like to enter the giveaway for these home decor items, reply to this email with the name of our Subscriber Spotlight guest and what country she is serving in, and I will draw one name on Sunday and announce the winner by email and my social media pages! :)
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Best Fiction Read:
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I took a breather from so much research writing and picked up some fiction. It was a good rhythm reset for my brain. This is a stand alone novel, but if you have read any of the Baxter family series, the characters are interwoven in this book, so it will feel familiar. It discusses the issues of teen pregancy, rape, abortion, and family relationships through a gospel lens. I had a hard time putting it down, and it is easy reading!
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Good things:
- Wednesday night ladies group has started back up at my church, High Street Baptist, and it is such an encouraging time!
- Fresh oranges and avocados during the winter! Love!!
- A weekend getaway. I have been pursuing my writing goals so hard that I needed a breather. I enjoyed a change of scenery, crafting time, and no responsibilities. Thankful!
- Meeting with young adult women who are wanting to grow in their faith and watching them persevere through many hardships. Their love for the Lord inspires me!
- I am about three weeks into completing a #whole30 to figure out if any foods I am eating are causing some of my health issues. Here is a recipe I made last night that was simple and delicious!
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Subscriber Spotlight!
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My name is Mackenzie and I'm a missionary overseas! I went to Missouri State University and it was there that I came to know Christ shortly after my freshman year. Within a few months of following Christ and starting to read and study His Word, it became very clear to me how big God's heart is for the lost and for the world. Through my campus ministry and my church, I became more and more aware of the need for Christ in countries around the world and was burdened by the amount of people who have never had the chance to hear the Gospel - and likely won't unless someone goes to tell them. While it was scary to think about, I couldn't deny that God was consistently putting the people of India on my heart. An opportunity came up for me to be able to join one of my campus ministry's teams overseas after I graduated, so after a lot of prayer, I accepted a 3 year commitment to live in India. I graduated in May of 2019 and launched in October of that year. Our ministry there is to build friendships and share/process the good news of Jesus with them, with the vision of growing laborers for Jesus and planting house churches.
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One of my favorite verses is Hebrews 13:14 - "For here we do not have an enduring city, but we are looking for the city that is to come." I come back to this verse all the time to remind me that my heart shouldn't be to store up comforts in this temporary world, but to keep my eyes on the Lord and my hope in Heaven. I don't know whether God will lead me to stay in India for the majority of my life, or bring me back to the States after my initial commitment, but I do know that no matter where God leads me, I want to be diligent about seeking out the lost and sharing about this hope we have in Heaven.
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I'm so thankful that God's plan for my years in college was vastly different than mine was. I'm so thankful for all of the people He's placed in my life to come alongside me, encourage me, hold me accountable, challenge me, teach me, and show me by example what it means to live for Christ. I'm eternally grateful that He sent me friends in college who were bold in sharing their faith with me and walk me through all of my questions/doubts/fears. I pray that, no matter how many times that I fall short in this, I would have this same boldness and that I would live with my eyes fixed on Heaven and not on the busyness of this world.
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If you have any questions about my ministry or want to be added to my monthly email newsletter list, feel free to email me at mack.india2019@gmail.com
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If you would like to partner with me in bringing the Gospel to India, you can visit this link to take you to my secure giving page (Staff #835): https://register.stumo.org/page/1012
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***If you would like to be spotlighted in an upcoming issue, send me a short bio and picture to share through e-mail. I would love to connect you to our community of readers!
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Links to Good Things Worth Sharing:
- A link to an encouraging online ministry called (in)courage!
- A simple act of love you could show to a woman of domestic violence could be to donate some toilet paper or other essentials to the women's shelter, Harmony House.
- A great podcast episode on Made for This with Jennie Allen and Angie Smith on loss and grief. I struggled some over the anniversary of my son this month and this really spoke to my heart and encouraged me through my tears.
- Bible Recap Podcast. It’s a short daily podcast (~8 minutes) hosted by Tara-Leigh Cobble. This will be her 10th time reading through the Bible chronologically, and she’ll highlight and summarize that day’s Bible reading in a casual, easy to understand way. The Bible Recap will not only help you read scripture but help you love reading it!
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If you missed any previous newsletters and want to check them out, you can go to the member archive and view past issues. The archive also holds the Psalm 119 study and Hebrews 10 lesson. If you find anything here that you think would encourage someone else, please consider sharing and inviting them to subscribe. If you read an article on the blog you want to share, just click the social media icons on the right hand corner! This is a great way to support me and hopefully help others!
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A final note of encouragement:
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"What then shall we say to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us?" - Romans 8:31
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2021 may have many unknowns, but knowing God is with us gives us the strength to have hope for the future. His plans are good, and we can trust Him with our future.
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If you need prayer, please send me a message, and I will be more than happy to intercede on your behalf.
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