Follow, Read, Listen, Grow #2

Solid Christian resources have become my love language in the last year. I am also a girl who loves to write without an abundance of time. I plan to publish resource recommendation posts once or twice a month in hopes that I can share tools the Lord has used to grow me, as well as keep the rust off the writing portion of my brain. 

Previous Posts
FRLG #1

***Christian resources are a wonderful gift from the Lord to stir our affections for Him, but they are not meant to replace corporate worship and community with the local body of Christ. If you currently do not have a church home in the Purcell area, please consider visiting Emmanuel Baptist Church. If you do not live in the same area, please do not hesitate to reach out for help in finding a gospel-centered church in your location.***


Follow

Twitter: Ray Ortlund

I found Pastor Ray Ortlund on Twitter through Beth Moore. (Hey now! Watch it. Stop hating. She will show up here soon enough.) Ray tweets almost daily with 280 character truths to point his followers to the Gospel. Twitter can be scary these days. Ray's serious tweets and pictures of his dog make it a better place to scroll!

Instagram: Risen Motherhood

RM will be mentioned over and over again. They have rich, gospel truths for mamas in the trenches. They post the same material on every social media platform, but their Insta stories are phenomenal to catch throughout the day. 

Facebook: Desiring God 

John Piper founded this web ministry in 1994. (Wait--they had internet then?) Desiring God has many, many different resources on widespread topics all rooted in glorifying God by being most satisfied in Him. Several articles or videos are posted every day to DG's Facebook page.

Read

Bible: ESV Premium Gift Bible

My sweet, big dog (RIP Rumble) chewed up my ESV thin-line Bible three days before Christmas last year that I had had since my freshman year of college. I was devastated because no amount of tape would repair it. Thanks to Amazon Prime, I got this beauty before Christmas. This is the Bible I use for everyday use!

Christian Classic: The Screwtape Letters by C.S. Lewis

The categories may change from post to post due to me forgetting books read over the years and deciding what category certain books fit in. This classic by C.S. Lewis was probably the first "Christian classic" I read. My husband and I talk about it at least weekly. It brought spiritual warfare to my attention unlike ever before. Lewis's letter format between a demon and his nephew makes it an interesting read on its own, but it is filled with many warnings and encouragements to followers of Christ.

Theology: Everyone’s A Theologian: An Introduction to Systematic Theology by R.C. Sproul

Is it crazy to call a book on systematic theology your favorite? Go ahead, call me crazy! I will be returning to this one for specific questions often. Sproul is known for making difficult ideas easy to understand. He also makes the case in his introduction that we are all theologians. It is not a matter of if we study theology or not; it is a matter of if the theology we have is good or bad. I do not know about each of you reading, but I want mine to be good.

Christian Living: Onward: Engaging the Culture Without Losing the Gospel by Russell Moore

We are living in such a divisive political climate right now. I mean, I struggle with not jumping in mud pits on Facebook every day and I am not confrontational in the least bit. Moore's book is such a timely read for American Christians. He elevates seeking the Kingdom of God over seeking political victory. It is a convicting read for Christian conservatives, liberals, and every category in between.

Motherhood: Missional Motherhood by Gloria Furman 

This is one of my most favorite books on motherhood because Gloria did such an incredible job steering into realms of SPIRITUAL motherhood, not just strictly biological and adoptive. I would encourage every WOMAN to pick this up and see mothering in different capacities as a God-given mission.

Marriage: The Mingling of Souls by Matt Chandler

This book is hardly on my book shelf at home. It is constantly being borrowed. I think Matt does a great job fighting the cultural fluff and craze with looking at how God designed marriage and intimacy. He uses examples that are relatable to every one of us and stays very real and transparent throughout. Matt and Lauren often do LIVE streams over The Mingling of Souls. They also have a Bible study and DVD series to go through with a small group. 

Parenting: Show Them Jesus by Jack Klumpenhower

Parent, grandparents, youth ministers, Sunday school teachers--basically anyone that knows a child--you need to read this! As someone who grew up in a Christian home and the church, I think this needs to be read again and again to remind us we are not after moralistic gains in our children. We are after souls that need to see Jesus as their Savior! Klumpenhower pairs the why and the how-to's so well in showing children and youth Jesus.

Children’s Book: The Jesus Storybook Bible by Sally Lloyd-Jones

Speaking of seeing Jesus, this has by far been my most favorite children's Bibles to date. Why? "Because every story whispers His Name!" The illustrations are fun and engaging, even for my rambunctious 18-month-old. Every story ends with a focus on Christ. Upon reading it through for the first time, I saw Jesus in stories I had not seen him in before, even as an adult. (Where were these solid children resources when I was little?)

Fiction: Redeeming Love by Francine Rivers

As noted before, I do not read a whole lot of fiction. Francine Rivers is one of my favorite fictional authors because she uses the Bible as a launching pad for creating her stories. Redeeming Love is a fictional retelling of the story of Hosea. It is a story of a relentless pursuit of someone who the world would deem "unworthy," which clearly points to the larger story of God pursuing us as sinners. 

Bible Study: God of Creation: Genesis 1-11 by Jen Wilkin

I grew up in the church. I thought I knew these stories by heart. I know firsthand that the Word is living and active, but I never dreamed there was so much more information between the pages of Genesis 1 and Genesis 11. Jen is my favorite Bible teacher and she did an incredible job in this 10 week study bringing things to light that I had never seen before in the God of Creation.

Blog: Know the Neighborhood by Jen Wilkin 

I warned you the first time around you would see Jen's name often. Everything she writes or says just clicks with my brain so well. Although I had no idea what movie she was talking about, the tourist versus local analogy in reading the Bible resonated with me. I want to know Scripture like I know the streets of my little hometown. 

Consider the Lilies Throwback: Sole Purpose

August means BACK TO SCHOOL. In a different life (Just kidding! Only a couple years ago...), I spent my summers preparing to return to a classroom of littles in August. I wrote this at the end of my first year when I recognized my sole purpose as an educator. I hope it is an encouragement to new and seasoned teachers alike!


Listen

Podcast: The Broken Loaf Podcast by Wally Kelly

My pastor has a daily devotional podcast. It is an excellent resource to begin or enhance a quiet time. He mentions the daily readings first for listeners to pause and read. Then he ends with a 3-4 minute devotional and prayer over a specific section within the daily reading. 

Conference Session: A House Divided Cannot Stand by Matt Chandler at MLK50

There is so much I could say about this conference altogether. I listened to most of the sessions trying to understand race issues in this country and especially within the Church better. The whole topic is something I do not want my brothers and sisters in Christ to see me as apathetic towards just because it is uncomfortable and unfamiliar. Listen with humility and learn.

Sermon: Expressions of the Gospel-Centered Walk by Pastor Wally Kelly

What should the Christian look like? Well, imitators of God for starters. Pastor Wally walks through Ephesians 5:1-21 tackling temptations and sin that are so prevalent in our time and exhorting Christians how to love, be pure, be wise, and be spirit-filled as we strive to walk as children of light. 

Song: Your Mercy by Austin Stone Worship

Ahhhhh. This song is beautiful and amazing and has been on repeat in my house and car to get that silly Blippi tractor song out of my head. I learned of Austin Stone at TGCW18 and now they are my new favorite worship band.



Grow

Scripture Memory: Daily Grace Scripture Memory Journal by The Daily Grace Co.
Prayer: Adore Card Set by The Daily Grace Co.
Journaling: Bible Pen Set by The Daily Grace Co.
Bible Study Tools: Be Still Journal by The Daily Grace Co.

I decided to jump in with both feet and become an affiliate with The Daily Grace Co. I have just been overly impressed by their products. Every piece I have purchased is beautiful and most importantly, intentional. I have been sharing my link on my Facebook and Instagram, so keep your eyes peeled for great sales. 


Currents

Nightstand: The Pursuit of Holiness by Jerry Bridges

Headphones: Austin Stone Worship Station on Pandora

Kitchen Table: Raised Together: A Study on Colossians by Gloria Furman



Thanks for checking out the resource post #2! Let me know if you have followed, read, listened, or grown using anything mentioned before or after this post. If you have any specific questions about something or someone listed or your own recommendations for me, reach out on social media! 

At His feet,
~Madi

Rakes and Shovels, Mary and Martha

An article from Desiring God has a quote that I share often with the women whom I study scripture with regularly: “Raking is easy, but all you get is leaves; digging is hard, but you might find diamonds.” This quote has resonated within my heart, mind, and soul to transform my daily time spent in the Word as a mission for diamonds. I may not find one every single day, but on the days the Lord blesses me with a diamond, it is FAR more precious than any amount of leaves I could ever rake. 

After finishing one book of the Bible with two weeks before our women’s group kicked off another book of the Bible, I decided to complete a study that is a little different than what I usually gravitate towards. Daughters of Grace: The Women of the Bible and the God of Grace by The Daily Grace Co. completely surpassed my expectations (so much so, that I think I may be brave and remotely teach through the 6 week study over the winter holidays—maybe—stay tuned!)

Early this week, with shovel in hand, I found myself with two very familiar sisters in the Gospels—Mary and Martha of Bethany. The same, exact point is usually taught (only to women) when we hear this story: Women, be a Mary, not a Martha. However, when I dug deeper into the stories of these sisters, I found both men and women should desire to be more like BOTH Mary and Martha--and not just mimicking Martha’s housekeeping skills. (insert eye roll emoji)

I want to share about the diamond I found in the life of Martha first to get her name and reputation cleared from what most lessons misuse of her well-known story. Martha welcomes Jesus into her home. Her sister, Mary, sits and listens to Jesus teach. Martha becomes frazzled by the duties she was trying to juggle—dinner, placemats, dishes, dessert, seating arrangements, who knows what all. Overcome by her frustration, she lashes out at her sister and waits for Jesus to back her up. (Paraphrase from Luke 10:38-42)

Obviously I can only speak as a woman, but I would assume when men hear this story, the initial thought is the same--our flesh nature is quick to say we would be Mary. We treat Martha’s worries over the hospitality and entertainment as something we would not have dreamed of fussing over in the presence of Jesus. 

Yet, when we honestly examine our own lives, we see something far different. Our time and thoughts would show we are overly concerned with work, family, friends, laundry, dishes, food, reputation, exercise, flower beds, hobbies, news, social media, etc., anything other than being with Jesus. Jesus’s gentle rebuke to Martha should put our own priorities into proper perspective. 

“Martha, Martha, you are anxious and troubled about many things, but one thing is necessary. Mary has chosen the good portions which will not be taken away from her.” Luke 10:41-42

This is usually where the rakes quit on Martha. She goes down in our minds as an obsessive housekeeper. Surprisingly, we do find her in another familiar bible story; she just is not the main character. With shovels in hand, we can take heart in seeing how her life was radically transformed by Jesus’s rebuke in her home. 

Some time later, Martha and Mary's brother, Lazarus, was sick. They sent for Jesus to come. Jesus chose to wait because (SPOILER ALERT) he was going to raise Lazarus from the dead. No one else knew that. Lazarus died. His sisters grieved. When Jesus had made it to Jerusalem on his way to Bethany, people told Martha and Mary he was on his way. Scripture says Martha went out to meet him, when he was still about two miles off. That phrase alone jumped off the page to me. This woman who in the prior story was consumed by her to-do list, drops everything during a busy, difficult time and goes to Jesus. And that is not all we are shown of her life change. The statements she makes to Jesus show a faith that has grown tremendously:

“Lord, if you had been here, my brother would not have died. But even now I know that whatever you ask from God, God will give you.” John 11:21-22

“I know that he will rise again in the resurrection on the last day.” John 11:24

“Yes, Lord; I believe that you are the Christ, the Son of God, who is coming into the world.” John 11:27. 

What happened to Martha between the dinner in her home and this interaction? I think it is easy to see that after Jesus called her to desire the good portions that will not be taken away, Martha began to live a changed life of choosing the one and only thing necessary—she chose to sit at the feet of Jesus over any other concerns (both good and bad) in life. 

The diamond in Mary's life is an easier one to see, but still difficult to apply. All four gospel accounts mention Mary, though not always by name. We do not know when Mary had the initial experience of realizing Jesus was the better and necessary thing in life. However, based on where we always find her in Scripture, we know she believed it wholeheartedly. Every story that Mary of Bethany is in, she is found at the feet of Jesus: dinner in her home (Luke 10:39), after the death of her brother Lazarus (John 11:32), and anointing Christ before Passover (John 12:3). 

John's account is the only one that names her as Mary at the anointing. Matthew's and Mark’s accounts simply refer to her as "a woman at Bethany" and note Martha is serving this dinner six days before Passover at a man named Simon’s house, with their brother Lazarus reclining at the table. Those details matter. Mary was more than likely not an invited guest to the table. She enters the room with a pound of expensive ointment, lets down her hair, and anoints the feet of Jesus in a beautiful act of worship that Jesus himself says will be remembered wherever the gospel is proclaimed (Mark 14:9). Mary did not ever allow any sort of cultural expectations (or even her sister’s expectations early on) to stop her from falling at Jesus’s feet and worshipping Him as her Savior and King. 

As followers of Christ, we can learn much from both Martha and Mary in Scripture simply by putting down rakes and picking up shovels. 

We need to realize our priorities are all out of whack living in the flesh.

We need to be transformed by the gentle rebuke Jesus gives to choose the one necessary thing, Himself. 

We need to be willing to humble ourselves and our faith be grown by steady obedience to His Word. 

We need to be people, without hesitation or thought to others, that are always found at His feet in worship.

May it be so.