On Modesty.

Happy {almost} Mother's Day, friends!

I wish that I felt burdened to write a beautiful ode to mothers since it is almost "our holiday", but that's not what I'm here to do today. (If you ARE looking for the most beautiful and true mom's day post click here.) I'm writing today in hopes to open up dialogue on the topic of modesty. I hope you will enter the conversation with me.

I think you would agree that we live in a time where moral values have become unimportant and people, for the most part, live for self. Modesty is not something that is even considered in "the world" (apart from Christ, I mean), on the contrary; it is regularly laughed at. As I'm sure you have seen, being immodestly dressed is even considered trendy. This is the world in which we live. This is the world in which my children are growing up.

This is a bold (and probably unpopular) statement, but I believe immodesty is one of the biggest tools Satan uses to destroy innocence, moral values, families, and marriages. 

 Everywhere I turn I either hear it, see it, or read it: "beach body time!" "bikini season!" "get bikini ready!". The stores are stocked with teeny bikinis. Tis the season. We live in Florida and as the weather gets hotter the clothes get smaller.


When did we buy into the lie that it is okay to walk around wearing the literal equivalent of a bra and panties out in public? Really? I've noticed that the same Christian women who wear bikinis on the beach or at a pool would never dress in such an immodest way in any other setting. What makes immodesty okay in one place and not another?

I'm not just talking about the teeny bikinis, though. I'm talking about the skimpy dresses and micro-minis that are shorter than my undergarments. Then there's the shorts. The really short ones. The tops get pretty crazy, too...nothing is left to the imagination anymore...and I'm not talking about young college girls (although I could be).

I'm talking about what I see my peers, other mothers and followers of Christ, wearing at church and out in public.

Ladies, I don't want my tone to be judgmental. I just must ask why we insist on flaunting our goods. I believe that we are to be set apart, consecrated,  in all areas of life including the way in which we dress.

1con·se·crate adjective \ˈkän(t)-sə-ˌkrāt\ : dedicated to a sacred purpose

I love that definition. "Dedicated to a sacred purpose". Ladies, our purpose is not to draw attention to our bodies. I like what Romans 12:1 has to say about the purpose for our bodies:

"I appeal to you therefore, brethren, and beg of you in view of [all] the mercies of God, to make a decisive dedication of your bodies [presenting all your members and faculties] as a living sacrifice, holy (devoted, consecrated) and well pleasing to God, which is your reasonable (rational, intelligent) service and spiritual worship."

It frustrates me to no end to walk into church on a Sunday morning and have to cover my husband's and children's eyes from what women have on display. Ladies, how we dress affects those around us. Yes. Even the most righteous of men might be tempted to take a second look when you are showing us almost everything. In Matthew 5:27-28 we read:

“You know the next commandment pretty well, too: ‘Don’t go to bed with another’s spouse.’ But don’t think you’ve preserved your virtue simply by staying out of bed. Your heart can be corrupted by lust even quicker than your body. Those leering looks you think nobody notices—they also corrupt."

Ladies, I know this verse is talking about the men but are we not also guilty by causing those "leering looks"? Do we want to be the woman who causes a man to stumble? I know that I don't. 

What about our sons? They are visual beings. Do we want them to be drawn into temptation, to lose innocence, to awaken love before it's time?

And our daughters? They are closely watching and will follow our lead. Do we want them to find fulfillment in the gazes of boys and men or do we want them to find fulfillment in gazing at the beauty of the Lord?

And what about US. What about YOU, sister? Where is your fulfillment found? If it is found in the glances of men (other than your spouses) than something is amiss.

Yes! I want that beach body. Yes! I want to be beautiful. Yes! I want to look amazing...all for my husband! I don't want to openly display to the public what is meant to be sacredly his!

I found this on Pinterest. I wish I knew the original source

So, those are my thoughts. I usually never ask for comments but I really want to hear from you. What is your take on modesty? Bathing suits? Lust? Ladies, share your thoughts! Share your resources for modest clothing. Men-this post was directed toward women but I really want to hear your thoughts, too.

An Uncomfortable Truth. Kermit Gosnell.

For weeks now one of the most gruesome and sickening abortion stories has been unfolding and thanks to a media blackout not many people know about it. Most mainstream media sources have remained silent on the Kermit Gosnell story, no doubt because if the story hits the public- the public will be hit with an uncomfortable truth. That truth? Abortion kills babies. 

Gosnell has been operating what many are calling "A house of horrors" abortion clinic. This is not just word-of-mouth. There are actual photographs documenting the horrible and disturbing scene that is Gosnell's clinic. Just as disturbing as the photographs have been the testimonies from employees and friends about the inner-workings of Gosnell's clinic.

I've decided not to post the images and stories here because they are very intense. I have been closely following the case and have read every story and reviewed every photo and it makes me weep. If you wish to read more details you can find them here.

So without going into an extreme amount of detail here's the bottom line-Gosnell and his employees delivered LIVING babies and then "aborted them"using very violent and painful measures. Employees have testified that they watched as babies writhed and screamed in pain during these procedures until they took their final breath. Their bodies were dismembered and treated like garbage, flushed down toilets, or thrown in shoeboxes and shoved on shelves. Gosnell joked about the large size of one baby and told his employees that the babies moving and screaming was just a "reaction" and that they were not really alive.

 I wonder if we will ever truly know the number of babies who were brutally murdered in this house of horrors. How many mothers and fathers watched as their babies died for the sake of "choice"?

And that brings me back to the uncomfortable truth....abortion kills babies. 

Not every abortion plays out exactly like the horror stories from the Gosnell case but EVERY ABORTION DOES KILL A BABY.  There is no gray area. This is fact. 

To my pro-choice friends (and I have many!) I love you dearly and I hope my life reflects that. I must ask you: How do you separate a "regular abortion" or a "safe abortion" from the "abortions" that took place at Gosnell's?

How do you say that what Gosnell did was absolutely horrific but then stand and fight for the same exact outcome of babies who face an early death in the womb?

Just like the babies born alive at Gosnell's clinic, the babies delicately woven together and safely placed into the wombs of their mothers are precious, living babies. Yet people stand proud and fight for the right for women to choose to dismember their precious, tiny bodies and put an end to their life.

The Gosnell murders are no different than the 3 babies EACH MINUTE who lose their life for the "choice" people are fighting for. Yes, an average of 3 babies are aborted every minute giving us an average of roughly 1.2 abortions performed every year in the US.

Jesus, we need you.

To my pro-life friends-remember to love. Not just those who agree with you but love everyone. Without the love of Christ you will reach no one. Stand for life. Be bold. Stand in love.

...and in closing here are some wise words from Mother Teresa:

“I feel the greatest destroyer of peace today is 'Abortion', because it is a war against the child... A direct killing of the innocent child, 'Murder' by the mother herself... And if we can accept that a mother can kill even her own child, how can we tell other people not to kill one another? How do we persuade a woman not to have an abortion? As always, we must persuade her with love... And we remind ourselves that love means to be willing to give until it hurts...”

Aurora is Haiti Bound!

About 2 years ago my husband returned home from his first trip to Haiti with our friends from CPI Haiti. Our family was changed forever and we knew that the precious people Nate met in Chauffard, Haiti would always have a special place in our heart.

When Nate came home Aurora, 4 years old at the time, said "I want to go to Haiti!". We thought it was just a cute, little "4 year old thing" that would pass with time but we were wrong. Almost every single day since Nate's first trip, and especially after his other trips, Aurora has begged us to allow her to travel to Haiti. She has big dreams of meeting the boys and girls that she prays for every night and she wants to befriend them and tell them how much Jesus loves them!

She has given up her birthday gifts and instead collected socks for the boys and girls. (Socks are her favorite and she was upset to learn the kids there never get to wear them.)

When Aurora was 4 and begging to travel to Haiti Nate said "Okay, when you're 6 I will take you." Well, 2 years went by at SUPER SPEED and on the morning of Aurora's 6th birthday she packed her bags (literally. she packed her bags) and declared "I'M 6. LET'S GO!"

This summer Aurora gets to live her dream and travel to Haiti with her dad. They will be gone for 1 week and Aurora will assist Nate as he leads a VBS program for an upwards of 200 kids.

We are blessed with some amazing friends and neighbors who happen to own Indie Atlantic Films and they were gracious enough to make a pretty sweet video of Nate and Aurora talking about their upcoming trip. Please check out that video here on our fundraising page and learn about how you can help make this trip a possibility for Aurora.

We're so thankful for your gifts and prayers! This is going to make a life changing impression on my girl and I can't wait to see God's work in her life and in our family as a result of this trip.

{Help us reach our fundraising goals by sharing this and/or the fundraising page with everyone you know! WOO HOO!}

Pastor Saeed Abedini

Hi friends,

It's been quiet here on the blog for a while! I look forward to writing again soon but until then...

 I'm so excited to be a "guest writer" over at my churches blog. Please read the post here and learn how you can help Pastor Saeed Abedini.

Acts 12:5 "But while Peter was in prison, the church prayed very earnestly for him."

I want to be a rock.

Last week I watched as they stood at the edge of the lake and tossed rocks. The goal was to find rocks (or any other throwable items) and launch them into Lake Morton. My girls wanted to see a big splash and the ripple effects. This entertained my daughters for quite some time until the "naughty birds" (as we call them) came to chase us away. Well...they don't really chase, but those swans are cranky and we don't like to take any chances.

Tonight one of my precious friends called me brave. She said that she thinks of me when she is about to  do something bold for Christ. She mentioned something about how the things that I do have an effect on what she does. I love this friend and I think that SHE IS brave. She prays for me faithfully and always stops what she is doing to talk to and encourage me. I love her.

As Nate and I walked away from that conversation tonight I just blurted out, "I want to be a rock". I said it again, as if trying to understand what my heart was telling my mouth to say. "I want to be a rock."

In an instant I saw my daughters throwing rocks in the lake. They wanted to see the ripples. It was this unstoppable force. Once the rock hit the water the ripples just kept growing. I thought about how my friend said my boldness inspires her to be bold.

"I want to be a rock."

I want God to launch me out into this world like my girls launched rocks into the lake. I want to love people with a crazy, bold, impossible love. I want to go deep into the darkness so that Light can shine even brighter.

"I want to be a rock."

Once I'm out there completely submerged in a life of love and boldness and action and compassion, I want to disappear. I don't care if people know about me and what I'm doing. I don't care if people see me. I don't care if they remember my name. Just like a tossed rock that hits the water and disappears. It's like it was never there....EXCEPT for the ripple effect it leaves behind.

"I want to be a rock."

I want the things I do and say to make a difference. I want my life, how I live, to inspire others to action. Not just because, but for His glory. Just like my dear friend shared with me tonight how she becomes bold when she thinks of my boldness....and because of that she is sharing Jesus with people...and because of that people are coming to know about Him, and because of that......the ripples just keep growing.

"I want to be a rock."

And this. This is the definition of "ripple effect". Could it be any more perfect?

"Indirect effect that spreads out from the direct or main effect to reach areas or population far removed from its intended or original purpose or target."

An Ode To Friends

I am extremely blessed with amazing girlfriends. I seriously cannot imagine my life without them.

They are women of integrity and grace. They love the Lord with their whole being and love others no matter the cost. They love and serve their husbands and families with diligence and joy. They are women of prayer. They are strong leaders and even stronger servants. (because after all, a SERVANT is the greatest kind of leader.) They make me cry (in a good way) and make me laugh to the point of crying. They keep me in line, in my word, on my knees, and hands up in praise.

I love them deeply. Truly. They are a precious gift to me from the Lord and I never want to take them for granted.

Some of my favorite moments are when we can all be together. As in, face to face, all of us, together. We each have a handful of children and other responsibilities that demand our time, so this does not happen as often as I'd like. It is a special treat when it does happen, though!

Recently some of us left a meeting and walked outside to say goodbye. 2-3 hours later a few of us stood in the dark parking lot, still talking.

We shared frustrations, admonishments, advice, fears, struggles, joys, victories, funny stories, prayer requests, and praise reports. One of the many things that we talked about was security and insecurity.

I have done so much thinking about this conversation that I had to write it somewhere, this place.

So this, this humble rant and rambling, is dedicated to my precious friends, my sisters, and to YOU reading this right now. May you find encouragement in my small words.


Sweet friend,

YOU are a dream come true. Thought up since before the beginning of time. Delicately woven together. You were created on purpose FOR purpose. You are loved and deeply treasured, not just by ME, but by Love Himself. He has made you. He has loved you, even to the point of death. He loves you, even now, with a fiery, jealous love.

That one feeling, though. It comes and goes. That nagging, joy-stealing, doubt inducing feeling. That feeling that we can't really name, we can't really pinpoint it. That feeling that says you are not good enough. That says you ARE. NOT. ENOUGH.

I hate that feeling. I hate what it does to you. I hate how it brings tears. I hate how it can undo Truth and bring doubt. 

I want you to hear me say this:

the only One who matters,
the only opinion that counts,

HE rejoices over you. You bring a song to His lips. YOU. ME. WE. US. In all of our humanity and brokenness...HE sings over US. 

He doesn't care about the laundry on the couch and crumbs on the floor.
He doesn't care about your looks.
He doesn't care about your bank account.
He doesn't care about what books you are or are not reading.
He doesn't care if you're part of the "in-crowd"(....remember...we know what crowd He was a part of....)

He just cares about YOU and YOU make him sing. Please let that blow your mind for a minute.

I know I'm sort of weird. Some might even say rebellious....

And though I still have days of struggling with that "not enough" feeling I'm finding out that the more I live with that crazy, reckless abandon and just run into Him, and the more I surrender EVERYTHING...including my social status, possessions, dreams, hopes, friendships...EVERYTHING...the more I let go, the more he GIVES...

He gives such good gifts, too. More joy, more peace, more strength, more love, more authority, more confidence, more Presence.

So let's do this. Let's be reckless in our life and love. Let's just run into Him. Let's give it all up. Let's live this life side by side, arms locked, and just run.

I'll need you to tell me that I can keep going, even when I can't see past the fog ahead. And I'll hold you up when you're tired and I'll always tell you who HE says you are.

Let's remind each other that the only one that matters is the opinion of ONE. 

He is...the only One found worthy..the only One worth chasing... the only One worth striving for. 

I love you, friend. I believe in you. You are amazing and He is so pleased with you.

Thank you for being a gift to me.

xo-ida

Happy New Year!

Better late than never, yes? Happy New Year, friends! Depending on where you are on the map it is still the 1st. So technically I am not late...yet. Let's see how fast I can type tonight...

I have spent this 1st day of the new year with my precious family. We've read, and walked, and biked, and laughed, and crafted, and created, and prayed, and just enjoyed each other. It was a day full of relaxation and JOY.

I usually have a "to-do" list of way too many items. Today was such a nice break from the normal pace of my life...hurry.

Oh, hurry. What a deceiver you are. Sure, I can hurry, and finish all of my to-do lists but I've learned, especially in 2012, that it is not so fulfilling.

Ann Voskamp sums it up so perfectly in this quote from her {life changing}book, One Thousand Gifts:

“Being in a hurry. Getting to the next thing without fully entering the thing in front of me. I cannot think of a single advantage I've ever gained from being in a hurry. But a thousand broken and missed things, tens of thousands, lie in the wake of all the rushing.... Through all that haste I thought I was making up time. It turns out I was throwing it away.”

Wow. Does that hit you like a ton bricks? It hurts me because I know it's true. Always something to do, somewhere to be, someone to call, something to check...so much rush and hurry and all the while I'm missing what matters most. I'm missing the here now graces and present JOY.

I check items off on a list, and accomplish everything I set out to do, yet I'm lacking JOY. I hurry through life as though it is an emergency. Instead of joy, I am often irritated, frustrated, easily angered, or just coasting through the day with no real emotion...just trying to get to bedtime.

I don't want to live like this anymore. Who would?! So with that confession, I welcome this new year with open arms and a new resolution to change my hurried pace of life.

My New Year's New LIFE resolution is simple:

Slow to the joy in front of me. 

I will always have a lot to do. Especially in this stage of my life as a homeschooling, stay at home wife and mom, but I do not have to hurry my days away. My to-do lists and obligations have been rearranged and I am praying for grace as I learn to embrace life as a gift, and not something to be rushed away.




I want to hear from YOU! What is your New Year's resolution? Verse for your year? Quote to live by?  Share it in the comments, along with your e-mail address, and I will e-mail you this beautiful, 8x10 printable that my husband designed for us (isn't he sweet?!):

I can't wait to hear from you! Praying for each of you who reads this, that you too will slow to the joy in front of you! 

Happy New Year, friends!