“Just one more hug, just one more hug,” my 11-year-old said after I tucked him into bed. Because I have three older sons who are now turning into men, I know this begging for “just one more hug” will not last for long. But, in the meantime, I am enjoying it!

Last week, in the midst of a big bear hug, he whispered, “This is the best part of my day . . .”, and when we let go of our embrace he said, “. . . and letting go is the worst part of my day.” That kind of talk does a momma’s heart good, and I soaked in the love of those words expressed so sincerely.

As I pondered those words later, I thought about my time in my Heavenly Father’s embrace. The Creator of the Universe who is in control of all things is available to me, his child, at a moment’s notice. Through prayer and the Word and the leading and comfort of the Holy Spirit, He wraps His arms around me daily. That’s awesome. The question is, Am I staying there long enough? Or, like a child who squirms out of his loving daddy’s arms with his eyes on his toys, do I run on towards my day distracted by the stuff of life?

I have found the seasons that I do spend more time with him, I just want more of Him. The fullness of His Presence, joy and peace are indescribable. He speaks to me when I am still enough to hear. And the problems and challenges of the world fade as I fix my eyes on Him. Yes, the best times of my day are when I’m in His embrace.

This is a prayer I like to pray as I sit down to spend time with Him in the morning, Bible in hand:

Speak, Lord, in the stillness, while I wait on Thee,

Hushed my heart to listen in expectancy.

Speak, oh Blessed Master, in this quiet hour,

Let me see thy face, Lord, feel they touch of power.

For the words thou Speakest, they are life, indeed,

Living bread of Heaven now my spirit feed.

Speak, thou servant heareth! Be not silent, Lord;

Waits my soul upon Thee, For the quickening word.

-        Author unknown, as quoted by Mrs. Charles Cowan, in Streams of the Desert

Thank you, Father, for your love and faithful care. Being in your Presence is the best part of my day. And I’m thankful I never have to let go. When I rush past you to my to-do list, remind me you are there. Teach me more how you are with me in all the “dailys” of life, and help me to live in the power, joy, and peace of your embrace each day. Amen.

Brenna Stull, a pastor’s wife and mother of five, helps moms make every minute count through her teaching and her book Coach Mom (New Hope Publishers). See brennastull.com and brennastull.wordpress.com.

Yet over and against this is the old saw that “change is the only constant.” This is undoubtedly true. And for the Christian doubly so, because–as others have so eloquently said, ”There’s no standing still in Christ.”

Photo by mtsofan on Flickr

Yet, as a generally introverted person, a man of a certain age, with a wife, two children, and a demanding career, it’s nice when things stay the same for a season (or two, or three). However, over and against this attitude is a God who, through Jesus his son, loves me enough to not leave me as I am.

Yet again, standing still is something I find I’m quite good at. If I could just be left alone, could be given the time and space to execute my plans… Of course, the God who sits in the heavens laughs. “Your plans? When have I ever been about your plans? Haven’t you read the Book of Job? Do you think that was Job’s plan? I love you, Chad, but sometimes you crack me up. Your plans…”

He’s frustratingly meddlesome at times, usually confronting most in those areas where I think things are just fine and dandy, thank-you very much. (And I’m not sure I’m completely down with his holy derision). It is his implacable, relentless kindness, and love, that continually brings me up short:

I am not “fine and dandy”—far from it. The closer he calls me, the nearer I come to him, the more I’m aware of this. Sometimes—often—it sucks. Still, he calls, and challenges.

In fact, this past year, he has challenged—has stretched—me the most in areas regarding:

My marriage.

My humor.

My blog.

My parenting.

My pride.

Are you catching the common theme there: I, me, mine?

Yet, not a single one of those things could I have, or do, without God. Which is why, when things came to a head for me in late November – when I aired some dirty laundry on my blog – and my wife asked me to step away for a time, I did. It was clear that God clearly wanted my attention; I just wish it hadn’t taken a “2×4 moment” to get it.

Yet, all too often, it does. As the scriptures say, “whom the Lord loves, he also chastens.” Not pretty, not comfortable, but oh so necessary.

As much as I learned from that season, I’ve in no sense “arrived.” I’m still learning to be teachable. And learning that being teachable requires ever-increasing humility. (Which usually begins with those words the Fonz found so difficult to say: “I was wr… wro… I. Was. Wrong”). “For God abases the proud, but gives grace to the humble.”

And grace is what I–you, we–need very much.

How is God changing you these days?  What “2×4 moment” have you experienced recently?

Chad Jones is sometimes serious, other times silly, always offering up fresh, slices of life and the intersection of faith and culture—RandomlyChad.

When the beta version of FaithVillage launches, content like this can be found in Strive. 

CC Image by Keith Allison on Flickr

Texas Rangers outfielder Josh Hamilton was seen drinking in a Dallas area bar Monday evening, according to reports dominating the local news this morning. Teammate Ian Kinsler came to the pub to persuade Hamilton to return to his home. The Rangers said they are aware of a “situation,” but have not commented further. This was Hamilton’s second alcohol-related relapse in three years.

Drug and alcohol abuse led to his suspension by baseball for the 2003-05 seasons. Hamilton has credited his conversion to Christianity as the reason for his sobriety and resulting success on the field. He is a four-time All Star and was voted the American League’s Most Valuable Player in 2010.

Skeptics will undoubtedly cite Hamilton’s recent relapse as evidence that faith is inadequate or irrelevant to life’s greatest challenges. Here’s my question: where would he be without his relationship with Jesus? According to Hamilton, he’d not only be out of baseball–he might be dead. After he relapsed in 2009, he formed an accountability team that became a model for other athletes. Now God wants to redeem this week’s setback for good as well.

What can we learn from Hamilton’s relapse?

Lesson #1: any of us can fall. Hebrews 12 speaks of “the sin that so easily entangles” (v. 1)–Puritans called this our “besetting sin.” Most of us struggle with a particular temptation that is more difficult for us to resist than other sins. Yours may not be mine, but mine may not be yours. I am not tempted by alcohol, but Josh Hamilton is likely not susceptible to some of the temptations I face.

Lesson #2: we must remain vigilant. In the Garden of Gethsemane, Jesus urged his disciples to “watch and pray so that you will not fall into temptation” (Matthew 26:41).  His command could be paraphrased, “Continually stay alert to temptation and pray the moment it appears lest you fall into it.”

Satan knows and employs those temptations we cannot defeat in our strength, so the moment you face his attack, admit that you need your Father’s help. Erasmus, the 16th century scholar, encouraged us to develop the habit of turning every temptation into prayer. Nothing vexes the enemy more, he said, than when his evil strategies are used for good.

Lesson #3: we should pray for Josh Hamilton. Oswald Chambers was right: “Discernment is God’s call to intercession, never to fault finding.” I’m praying for the Hamilton family this morning, asking God to redeem this setback for his glory and their good. And I will “watch and pray” today, lest I fall into my besetting sins as well.

Will you join me?

Jim Denison is a cultural apologist, building a bridge between faith and culture by engaging contemporary issues with biblical truth. He founded the Denison Forum on Truth and Culture in February 2009. 

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Mrs. Cole called it The Age of Man (the name itself would sound magical enough to any seventh-grader), and she said it was nearing. Science and technology had planted seeds, she said. Had planted them for hundreds of years. And those seeds were growing even then, sprouting upwards and strong. And she said we would be the ones to harvest.

We. You and I.

image courtesy of photobucket.com

This being the mid-eighties, Mrs. Cole qualified that statement by saying it would all be for naught if the Russkies started lobbing ballistic missiles at us from Moscow. She didn’t think that would happen, which I’m sure prevented more than a couple nightmares that night from the other kids in her class. We’d all pull through, she said. And more, we would all be blessed with a life that was far more glorious and far less painful. Medical advances would ensure that disease was eradicated. Life expectancy would rise past the century mark. Science would solve problems like famine and global warming. Reason would replace ignorance, ushering in a new golden age of peace.

The hungry would be fed.

The naked would be clothed.

We would long for nothing.

And on. And on.

That all sounded pretty good to me. Even now I remember that as one of the best days of school I ever had. I couldn’t wait for The Age of Man.

I suppose we’re still waiting. Almost thirty years later, not much has really changed. Science and technology have done a lot, no doubt about that, though it seems there’s always a catch. The Russkies have been replaced. The hungry are still hungry. The naked are still cold.

But maybe more than any of that, we still long.

I suppose Mrs. Cole has gone to her reward by now. I’m not sure if she puttered along long enough to see that she’d been wrong. A part of me wishes not. I think we should all pass on with hope still in our hearts, whatever hope that may be.

Had I been wise back then—had I known what I know now—I like to think I’d have raised my hand and gotten the chance to speak that day. I would have told Mrs. Cole that science and technology can do a great many things, but the faith we would come to place in them would be a faltering one. I’d tell her that deep down, we’re all drawn to a brighter sort of magic. We will always be more charmed by what could be than what is. Because we are made to long and wonder and ponder the Mystery, and the Mystery is something that no science and no technology can ever really answer.

That’s what I would tell her.

And then I’d say what Mrs. Cole has no doubt discovered for herself—that the whole of earth is still the very least of heaven.

Billy Coffey lives with his wife and children in Virginia’s Blue Ridge Mountains. He is the author of Snow Day and his most recent release, Paper Angels.

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Ahem. Actually, no they don’t . . . .

At a conference this week, John Piper was talking about masculine Christianity. And he made the above statement, which caused me to squint. Huh?

Now, I should probably qualify my thoughts by saying I love much of what John Piper has to say. I’m thinking specifically about his life-changing teaching about loving God.

But when it comes to his views on gender, he has made some statements that I must respectfully question. Why? Because he makes subtle changes when he quotes the Bible. The quote above is one of them.

We all know there’s a difference between a statement and an imperative, right? And there’s a difference between literal speech and a metaphor.

In the passage Dr. Piper is quoting, husband and wife form a head/body picture of oneness. They share the same blood and breath and life. The wife is the body; but she is not commanded to “be” the body. In the same way, the husband is the head, but he is not commanded to “be” the head. Jesus is the Door, but he doesn’t “become” the Door. In a metaphor, one thing stands for another. And in the marriage metaphor Paul lays out in Ephesians 5, he uses a beautiful metaphor of a head and a body.

Think of how interconnected a head is with a body—two shall become one. The phrase shows up in Genesis at the creation of marriage, and Paul refers back to that phrase after laying out his metaphor for marriage as a head/body interconnectedness.

Again, the husband is not, in fact, ever told to be the head. How can a human become a body part on a literal level? To do that, some make “head” a synonym for leader. But if we do that, we not only turn a unity picture into an org-chart picture, we also leave the word “body” without a synonym.

How does a wife demonstrate a corresponding bodyship to her husband? Paul actually uses an equative verb: X = Y. The head is something the husband is. It’s not what he does.

But that’s not to say Paul leaves out reference to what a husband should do. He does include an imperative—love. That’s it . . . he commands the husband to love. And Paul has in mind something different from feeling-oriented love. He does not, in fact, use the word for friendship love. He uses the word (root: agapeo) for self-sacrificing, lay-down-your-life love . . . the kind Jesus showed for His bride, the church. That’s not to say husband and wife aren’t best friends. They are in this ideal. They are one.

Paul never pairs head and submission in Ephesians. He pairs head and body;  and he pairs sacrificial love and submission—because they are the actions that fit the head/body metaphor, especially in the Greek world. And they still have ramifications for us today.

The goal of marriage is not a well negotiated power structure; it’s oneness that leads to the upbuilding of the entire body in love. The thing the apostles taught that the husbands should “be” was (Paul:) full of sacrificial love, like Christ. And (Peter:) respectful and honor-granting, lest their prayers be hindered.

Author Sandra Glahn teaches at Dallas Seminary, where she’s editor-in-chief of Kindred Spirit magazine. Among her 17 books are the Coffee Cup Bible Studies.

When the FaithVillage beta site launches, content like this will be found in Strive or Momentum.

I run the same route when I jog through my neighborhood, memorizing each house, lawn, street.

In a hiccup of a moment, my left foot catches a rise in the sidewalk and I fly through the Texas air. Thankfully, I throw my hands in front, and my palms catch me before my head hits the cement. My knees block the blow too. I turn over, watch the cloudy sky for a moment while Pippin gives me a curious look. I’m sure he’s wondering why I’m on the ground and he’s still standing.

The spiritual life is like this sometimes. We run along familiar surroundings, unaware of sidewalk rises. And once we grow weary and shuffle, the rise catches us and we fly, then fall onto the cement. The truth is, we have a very real enemy bent on stagnating our growth, or eliminating it altogether. He is determined that we not shine Jesus everywhere we go. And he utterly hates God’s great redemptive plan played out every single day. So he watches us. Studies us. Then finds ways to trip us.

If we want to thrive, we must understand the spiritual battle swirling around us. This is a huge subject, though—one I’ve written an entire book about entitled, Beautiful Battle. There, I expose Satan’s ways, his lies, and reveal a pathway of victory, not one that comes from steeping ourselves in evil, but one founded on the supremacy of our God. To get a basic understanding of the warfare around us, remember four things.

We have an enemy.

We do have a tangible enemy who wants nothing better than to steal from us, kill us and destroy us. But God has the upper hand. He sent His son Jesus to vanquish Satan’s destructive bent for this earth and our souls. On the cross, He bore the weight of our sin, died for it in a perfect sacrifice, then rose again, conquering death. After we humbly acknowledge this outrageous act and give our lives to Jesus, the Holy Spirit moves in, giving us the power every single day to defeat the enemy’s schemes.

The enemy isn’t others.

Our battle isn’t against folks who vex us, or even our circumstances. The Apostle Paul reminds us that we’re “not fighting against flesh-and-blood enemies, but against evil rulers and authorities of the unseen world, against mighty powers in this dark world, and against evil spirits in the heavenly places” (Ephesians 6:12, NLT).

Even when we’re longing to see people we know meet Jesus, the battle isn’t against them. It’s about the world system Satan constructs. We must remember that we “win” not by winning an argument, but by falling to our knees and seeking God’s wisdom and power.

Paul encourages, “We are human, but we don’t wage war as humans do. We use God’s mighty weapons, not worldly weapons, to knock down the strongholds of human reasoning and to destroy false arguments. We destroy every proud obstacle that keeps people from knowing God. We capture their rebellious thoughts and teach them to obey Christ. And after you have become fully obedient, we will punish everyone who remains disobedient” (2 Corinthians 10: 3-6, NLT).

We must stay alert.

Just because Jesus has won the victory on the cross doesn’t mean we can lead lackadaisical lives, downplaying Satan’s ability. If anything, he thrives in places where folks don’t think he exists, where they’re dismissive of his abilities. Meanwhile, he prowls, looking for our weaknesses.

Peter encourages, “Stay alert! Watch out for your great enemy, the devil. He prowls around like a roaring lion, looking for someone to devour. Stand firm against him, and be strong in your faith. Remember that your Christian brothers and sisters all over the world are going through the same kind of suffering you are” (1 Peter 5:8-9, NLT).

God is bigger.

The supremacy of God trumps Satan every time. He is bigger, more powerful, all knowing, the sovereign king of the universe. Resting in His capability instead of our stealth will help us rely on the One capable of winning spiritual battles. In order to grow, we must settle this issue of God’s greatness. He has the power to do great things, secure victories and save many. “Sing a new song to the LORD, for he has done wonderful deeds. His right hand has won a mighty victory; his holy arm has shown his saving power!” (Psalm 98:1, NLT).

He lives in the heavens, exalted and all-powerful, yet He chooses to commune with us, particularly if we’re humble. “The high and lofty one who lives in eternity, the Holy One, says this: ‘I live in the high and holy place with those whose spirits are contrite and humble. I restore the crushed spirit of the humble and revive the courage of those with repentant hearts’” (Isaiah 57:15, NLT). Though Satan despises our weakness, lies to us, and wants to destroy us, God promises to be with us, reviving our courage.

Sometimes it seems everywhere we look we see the devil’s handiwork, and the destruction his minions orchestrate. It’s important we realize, though, that Satan is a wounded, defeated foe, destined for judgment. It won’t always be a battle, though the deeper we grow, the more we may discern his methods.

The evil in this world, thank God, will be vanquished. “Then I heard a loud voice shouting across the heavens, ‘It has come at last—salvation and power and the Kingdom of our God, and the authority of his Christ. For the accuser of our brothers and sisters has been thrown down to earth—the one who accuses them before our God day and night” (Revelation 12:10, NLT).

Yes, now he accuses, but one day he will be silenced, and we will walk streets of gold and God in freedom and joy.

Note: This article is based on my latest release, Beautiful Battle.

When the FaithVillage beta site launches, content like this may be found in The Church at FaithVillage.

Photo by jon.swanson on Flickr

I have been privileged to be under the teaching of several Spirit-led, gifted-to-teach pastors throughout my life. I’ve experienced much growth under their wisdom and exposition of Scripture and stories. The churches I’ve been part of have always emphasized the sermon and ended those sermons with strong calls to action.

Move! Do! Be! Create! Run! Speak! Serve!

We start ministries and Bible studies and outreaches. We have conferences for men and women and families and deacons. We pray together. We sing together. We “fellowship”  (which means food). We are good at these things. Perhaps we do them imperfectly, but give us an action, and we will do it. We will form committees and sub-committees. (I was once a member of a church that literally had a committe on committees. I’m dead serious.)

But we don’t listen together.

Which might mean we’re not listening individually.

There is rarely a pause long enough in our times of assembly that we silently seek the voice of the Lord together. Perhaps most church leaders believe this to be a private exercise. We sing to Him, we talk to Him, we talk about Him. We have every song timed and scheduled and synced with the PowerPoint. Worship will last this many minutes, the sermon must last this many minutes (and not a minute longer!), and the response/invitation time is one song long – filled with the noises of singing and instruments and perhaps a string of warnings from the pastor for those who refuse to “walk the aisle.”

So how do your devotional times go? Do you talk at God in prayer, then read Scripture, study it, maybe journal about what you learned, then check your box for the day? Do you stop to listen? To center your soul on the Father? It took me a long time to learn to do this.

Church leaders, your congregation is both craving and terrified of silence. It will be both awkward and rewarding. Some will feel that even one pregnant pause is a heaving, laborious gap in the space-time continuum. They will fidget with their phones and the seats in front of them, peeking around to make sure they’re not the only ones participating.

But others? Their spirits will have room to breathe in a usually-boisterous environment. They will be able to shed the rush of getting the kids groomed and fed and in the nursery, the bustle of shaking hands and greeting friends and meeting strangers, the to-do lists growing in their minds for the after-church frenzy. They will hear echoes of the sermon and quiet their own voices. They may incline their ears to hear what the Lord may be speaking to them through the sermon, the songs, the word from a friend, that email they received, the events in their lives.

What would happen if we gave the Lord space to speak? Would someone be moved to find that lonely person before leaving to give a word of encouragement? Would some give serious consideration to the Word of God and find specific ways to obey it? Would some be searched by God’s light in the darkest places and perhaps see their need for a Savior for the first (or fiftieth) time? Would you have time to really focus and worship?

Church has taught me to do many actions for the Lord.

But to listen to the Lord? I’ve had to learn that elsewhere.

Aubry Smith is a freelance writer and stay-at-home mom in North Carolina, where she and her husband are training for overseas missions.

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So now it’s my 40th birthday. And I’m still convinced that the whole milestone thing is hooey. But since numbers are significant in our world, here’s a top 10 list on why 40 is better than I ever expected.

1. My mothering goals are complete. Well, the part where the kids have all arrived safely and healthy, and I’m still taller than all of them. And now, I can enjoy their personalities and intelligence, as opposed to my 30^th birthday, when I had one kid and his best friend was Bob the Builder.

2. My mothering days are not complete. I mean, I only have one in double digits and the last one will only be 2 next week.  So if my 30s were my “soccer mom stay-at-home” years, my 40s could be my working mom/crockpot mom/teach my teens @Twitter years. Eh?

3. My mind. Speaking of working, I have discovered to my profound relief that I did not donate all my brain cells to Baylor University Medical Center’s L&D ward.  Just five months ago, I got hired for a full time job! Yeah, somebody other than my family and friends thinks I’m smart. Of course, it’s early days yet (and yeah, not all my family and friends thought I was smart before).

4. My body. Remember that L&D ward? I visited on four different occasions, which translates into three years of pregnancy and four years of breastfeeding. So for seven years my body belonged to other people.  But now, it’s all mine again. Every part.  Though, that baby is looking more like a toddler every day, so blaming the extra 20 pounds on him is starting to stretch thin (ha…”thin”).  I should probably stop hunting for Blue Bell ice cream sales.

5. Battle scars. I take pride in my laugh lines and stretch marks—the first are visible signs of God’s blessings through my life and how I’ve rejoiced in them; the second are…well, ditto, but they give me the added benefit of never having to wear a bikini again. And the little burn marks on my hands and wrists? Proof that, yes, I do cook.

6. My hairdresser. I love my thick, dark brown (my kids say it is black when it’s wet), healthy hair. These stupid gray strands are ruining it. Which is why my hairdresser, Gigi, is a treasured friend. She knows my hair better than I do, and I drive 40 miles to see her every few months. When the gray gets too annoying or starts to overshadow the rich color of my youth, she’ll know exactly which shade of dye to suggest.

7. Friends. Not the sitcom, silly. (Oops, did I just date myself . . . no, wait, you already know my age. Anyway . . . ) They rock. Seriously. To borrow a phrase from one of my besties, “If friends were money, then I am rich.” Without my girlfriends, and a few guys including and approved by my husband, my life would be less colorful, more lonely, and more self-centered. Nothing means more than to have a friend sit with me in silence as I cry over a miscarriage. Or to have a crowd show up for a “milestone” surprise birthday party to cheer with me. (Romans 12:15) They have embodied Proverbs 27:6 “Wounds from a friend can be trusted . . . .”

I love my kids, but they aren’t my friends. And besides, they’re going to grow up and leave me.  My husband and girlfriends are forever.

8. Dating. At 20, I wasn’t exactly the dating queen. A few here and there but I was pretty ok with that because I knew I was headed out of state one day for seminary. When I arrived there, dating improved exponentially, as I was outnumbered 10-1 by eligible guys. (Total side benefit to seminary, I swear.) Once I succumbed to the charms of one lucky guy and changed my name to his, dating became a lot more fun. I always knew who my date would be—and that he really liked me.  No more trying to impress; lots more just enjoying ourselves and being ourselves.

At 40, dating depends solely on the availability of free or cheap childcare. Which means we are usually home before 10pm.

But that’s ok, because a) My date gets to stay (!), and b) we were about to fall asleep over our dessert anyway. Might as well be home.

9. The Internet. Exactly how did my parents help me with homework without Google? Hmmm. Hey, Mom, do you remember? And however did we keep in touch with old friends without Facebook? Oh, wait. We didn’t.

10. The Alternative. Why fear 40, wondering if your best days are behind you, when you can be 40 and grateful to God for the blessings he has showered on you?  When you can look forward to whatever He has in store for you because… you have HIM! Nehemiah 8:10 says, “The joy of the Lord will be your strength.”

I got joy, baby, like never before.

When the FaithVillage beta site launches, content like this may be found in Strive or Momzie.

Cary is one half of the band Jackopierce who made a name for themselves in the ’90s with radio hits like “Vineyard” and a massive fan base. In 1997, they decided to call it quits, but their farewell tour and retrospective album Decade became the most popular record of their career.

Back by popular demand, Jackopierce will release a new record, Everywhere All The Time this March. I’ve had the chance to hear an advanced copy of the record and it’s really great. Fans of the band will love the recognizable harmonies, great songs and an updated sound from the band.

Besides being part of Jackopierce, Cary has made a name for himself as a great songwriter and producer. He’s written songs with Chris Tomlin, Graham Colton, Patrick Ryan Clark and many others. Cary stopped by the FaithVillage offices recently and talked with us about his music, life and faith. Be sure and check out an acoustic performance of a brand new Jackopierce song at the end of this post.

In this first clip, Cary describes the beginning, end and rebirth of his band Jackopierce.

In part 2 of our interview, Cary describes hitting rock bottom and reaching out to God for help.

Cary talks about forgiveness, healing and how DivorceCare saved his life.

In this exclusive clip, hear Cary perform an acoustic version of “Around Me Now,” a brand new Jackopierce song from their upcoming record Everywhere All The Time.

Watch for Cary on Episode 12 of Troubadour, TX with Jackopierce and Jack Ingram, airing soon.

When the FaithVillage beta site launches, content like this will be found in the Culture Lab.