God's Smuggler by Brother Andrew

I recently listened to another excellent audio book --  God's Smuggler by Brother Andrew.  I had heard of Brother Andrew, but was not really familiar with his story of smuggling Bibles behind the iron curtain during the Soviet rule over much of eastern Europe.  I am probably only 30 years behind, but his story was absolutely breathtaking and inspiring.

Perhaps you know all about Brother Andrew's daring adventures -- stuffing his little Volkswagen with Bibles in Russian, German, Czech, and other languages and driving from Holland into these restricted nations right under the noses of the Communist police.  Perhaps you already were blessed by stories of tiny churches struggling to exist under such oppression and the value the Christians placed on God's Word, so hungry to hear it, so eager to read it, and delighted beyond measure when Brother Andrew GAVE them copies of the Bible to keep for their very own! 

It is quite an exciting story.  This book would make an incredible read-aloud for a family to share together (parents who are my age and older can teach their children about "our generation" when the Communist government held Europe in a tight grip).  I'd also heartily recommend the audio book version!  It's nice to listen to the reader pronounce all the names and cities with a flourish.  The first couple of chapters before Andrew is converted to share some somewhat disturbing aspects for the very young (such as the time when he was in the military), so you might want to read/listen with discretion.

The chief reason I was so inspired by God's Smuggler, though, did not have much to do with the adventure of his travels, but rather by the way Andrew and his family and companions relied on the Lord's provision for them.  They purposed not to make their needs known to other people, but always to pray and trust God to provide for them, as the King would provide for His children.  The answers to these specific prayers are similar to the famous stories of George Mueller, who would pray for breakfast for the children in the orphanage, only to have a milk truck break down outside their door, and give them all free milk.  Time after time, Brother Andrew would have his need met at the exact moment he needed it -- a car, a home, money for printing pocket Bibles, etc.  He was not officially supported by any organization or church, but the Lord provided for every need he had, both personal and for his work around the world.  I was so challenged as I listened that I do not automatically think to turn to the King with my needs, but instead begin to think of how I can "make it happen" to provide for myself.  It can be a hard balance in living modestly and trying to be thrifty, and also trusting God to be the one who supplies my needs.  Sometimes when I'm getting good deals on what we need, or learning to make my own yogurt or baby wipes, I can mentally sort of transfer my trust from the Almighty God who owns the cattle on a thousand hills, to my little penny-pinching self.  Saving money and living within your means is good -- but relying on your own efforts to provide for your needs is dangerous.  God save me from trusting myself!

Dinner Time Reading

Do you have a time of devotions with your family? I am so grateful that my husband leads us in this way at dinner time. Now for us, dinner time is not every evening (because of work conflicts), so we sometimes have lunch time devotions or even breakfast devotions. When I was working full time, and racing home to spend 20 minutes with Josh at dinner before he raced out to work, we still tried to have a few evenings where we ate together and read and prayed. Sometimes we would simply read Scripture, but lately we've worked through reading books together. Here is what we have read, and I hope these are helpful suggestions to you:


1. Big Truths for Young Hearts by Bruce Ware.
I wrote about this book when it first came out, and since then have had a child, and was blessed to have Dr. Ware sign and give a copy to Susie (see photo -- this is an older picture of Susie at the book signing). I thought we'd probably keep it on the shelf for a few more years, but Josh suggested we use it for our family devotion time, and I'm so glad he did! We've really enjoyed these short chapters -- it certainly isn't just for children! I know a family that used this book in their family devotion time, and their youngest child is in 7th grade, the oldest are in college. Dr. Ware has written it in a simple and pleasing style that a child can follow, with some really great examples to make "big truths" make sense to "young hearts", but this systematic theology is encouraging and instructive to parents as well.

2. Knowing God by J.I. Packer
We went through this book in our small group at church, and it just made sense to read it together in small segments. The book is broken down into reasonably small sections making a longer book like this work well for dinner time reading. The listeners were all adults (Susie did not listen much), but I think you could read this to a family with older children, as well. Certainly you might not expect them to understand everything, but it's good for them to see Mom and Dad listening and understanding. Or if you are empty-nesters or married without children, you might enjoy reading this book as a couple.

3. Setting Their Hope in God by Andrew Case
I don't think you'll find a better resource for praying for your children. Here is the beautiful prayer I read today (reworded for my own daughter):

"Heavenly Father,
As for me, my prayer is to You.
At an acceptable time, O God, in the abundance of your steadfast love answer me in Your saving faithfulness. And my prayer is this:
Deliver my daughter from sinking in the mire of sin;
Let her be delivered from the deep waters of vanity.
Let not the flood sweep over her, or the deep swallow her up, or the pit of despair close its mouth over her.
Answer me, Oh LORD, or Your steadfast love is good;
According to Your abundant mercy turn to her.
Draw near to her soul, redeem her;
Ransom her because of her frailty."

Wow. I paused after each statement and considered the weight of what I was praying. There is nothing more important than this sort of prayer for our children. I am giving away this book -- go here to enter my drawing if you have not yet.

I wanted to finish with some tips for dinner time reading. This will look to your family unique to your children and their personalities, but this is how it goes down with the Neislers. We have chosen to have this time with Susie at the table with us. Obviously, she does not understand what we are reading, and cannot be counted on to stay quiet. :) But I want her to grow up never being able to remember the time "before" she started joining us for our devotions, so we have her there, loudness and all. We do not have dinner time reading every single day, but usually several times a week at least. Often, we serve ourselves food, and then Josh reads as I feed Susie. Sometimes he reads while Susie and I both eat. Sometimes I read so he can shovel down his food and run out the door and I feed Susie with the other hand (this is not too hard). There have been a few times when he has read after we are finished eating, and I just give Susie Cheerios and a cup of water to keep herself happy -- and fairly quiet. There is something incredibly special about being together as a family like this, and I encourage your family to try to have these times whenever your busy schedule allows!

Setting Their Hope in God -- and book giveaway

My friend Andrew Case has written several books, but his latest has really captured my heart. This book is called Setting Their Hope in God, and it is a book of prayers for your children. Specifically, it is a book praying scripture for your children, pleading on behalf of your child's soul, and focusing your own heart on a big and GREAT God.

Do you, like me, find yourself praying almost the same things over and over for your child? You may pray for their health, safety, happiness, obedience and security. You may even pray for their salvation, but you still find yourself praying (as Dr. Donald Whitney says) "The same old things about the same old things." When I would put Susie to bed at night, I would TRY to find the words to pray for her salvation, to pray for her future, or just to pray for her to get a good night sleep! But inevitably, I mostly found myself repeating the same thing. I didn't want to do that! I want to be a prayer warrior for my daughter, to bring her soul before the throne of grace.

So I was delighted when Andrew gave his book away to the families in our church. Just reading the introduction and recommendations, I was nearly in tears! How could I neglect the life and soul of my precious daughter by failing to pray for her earnestly? This book has become a part of my quiet time -- each page has a new passage of scripture written into a prayer. Here are some key things I appreciate about this book of prayers:

1. This book is God-centered. When reading the prayer, your heart is focused on God, causing you to delight in Him in a fresh way. It may sound funny, but it is completely possible to be child-centered in your prayers. My love for my daughter is so deep, that I can just set my heart on her, rather than setting my heart on the good God who gave her to me.

2. Each new prayer varies widely from the one before, not just in the wording, but also in the concept, making this book applicable for parents with children of all ages. But the aim is the same throughout.

3. This book enables me to meditate on God's precious Word, often throughout the day. Several times when I have read a prayer in the morning, I can "re-pray" that prayer in my own words when I put Susie to be that night. That means at least part of that passage has remained in my mind all day!

4. The author's desire and intent to bless families is crystal clear. I know Andrew Case, and he is not writing these books to make money (demonstrated by his willingness to give a copy to each family in our church!). I'm putting up a link to Andrew's website where you can download the PDF of this book for free or purchase the book for under $5 (you can also buy it on Amazon, but it costs $9.99). Additionally, I am giving away two free copies to anyone who is interested in enriching their prayers for their children. Just leave me a comment, letting me know you want to enter the drawing, and put the names of your kiddos (or grandchildren, or nieces and nephews, or a friend you'd like to give this to!). I will put your comments in a hat and randomly draw 2 on Sunday, May 30th. . . which happens to be Susie's first birthday!

I am linking this post to Feed Me Books Friday over at The Adventure of Motherhood, because it is something I am reading and I could see reading some of these prayers out loud to your children when you pray for them at bedtime. So, though it's not a children's book, I think it more than applies.

A Titus 2 Talk

I have this friend at my church who is also named Gretchen, and I really really like and admire her. She is the mom of 5 boys, and has an engaging personality -- friendly, expressive, relaxed and talkative. Tonight I got to hang out with her for a little while over a cup of iced coffee while Josh hung out with her boys (her husband is traveling in central Asia). I feel like this brief evening was an answer to prayer I'd had on my heart and lips for several years now -- for an older friend who would encourage me in the gospel and practically live out Titus 2 (the older women teaching the younger) in my life.

Gretchen encouraged me to love my husband -- to delight in who he is and how God is growing and using him. She encouraged me to be content in my circumstances, serving through Josh's school years as the breadwinner so that down the road I can be at home with children. She shared her own experiences of coming to realize how small she was and how big God was and that He loved her anyway, and how that actually changes your everyday life! We discussed keeping our homes, not over-organizing our husband's closets or pridefully obsessing over a clean house so that we look good in the eyes of our friends. Gretchen said "you have to find the balance between 'how much do I need to be clean and organized to serve my family?' and 'how much is this organizing is just to serve myself?'" I was so refreshed by her honesty and wisdom.

All of this was discussed in perhaps an hour's time. There was no program, no big to-do. It was simply life-on-life relationship, Christ's love our bond.

Friends, I share this to encourage you, as young women, to seek out the wisdom of an older friend! In some churches, these women are more plentiful than the younger women are, and you have a plethora to choose from. In others (like mine), the elder's wives are in high demand, and you need to be considerate and content with the time you can spend together.

Most everyone who reads this knows a younger woman who would benefit from your friendship, if you took some time here and there to just ask her to hang out and share your life with her. This is being the body of Christ together!

Coffee Talk

I am so thankful for a blessing this season of life affords me: coffee dates with the girls I know and love. I have been especially blessed with a plethora of those lately -- and the sweet, encouraging, rich times they have been.

My friend Annie Meade has been a model to me of making coffee dates with the girls in her life. She willingly gets up at any hour, or stays up until all hours, to meet with the girls who want to talk over a steamy hot latte. Annie's flexibility is probably why she is so marketable in the coffee-date business -- she'll meet me early before work (thus forcing her to be up and ready for work much earlier), or late at night at the end of a long, exhausting week to lend a sympathetic ear to a single girl from small group. She has regular meetings with other girls, where they discuss books they are reading together. One thing I loved about Annie the minute I met her was how she "buys up" all the best bargains for this season of life. Since she and her husband John don't have kids yet, she knows this is the season of life she can be so flexible to meet girls wherever -- and whenever -- they're at!

I've started making coffee dates of my own -- frequently. In fact, the idea of "going to coffee" has come to symbolize to me the very act of sharing in female Christian encouragement (similar to going to lunch, which is a close second). The Lord has been gracious to give me wonderful coffee dates with girls who are ready to share, or open up, or who are so kind to listen to me explain what I learned from a book or my sin of discontentment, and then patiently encourage one another, pointing to Christ and the Gospel. What a beautiful picture of living out the "One Anothers" of Scripture!

I don't say all this to brag. I know there are many things in life that are more easily enjoyed in different seasons. If you are a stay-at-home mom, getting coffee with another girl might pose some challenges right now. You savor that girl time when you can get it! Or, if you are low on cash, you may not be able to afford a whole bunch of trips to Starbucks, so you have to be creative. Regardless of your current season of life, let me challenge you to make the most of it -- don't waste it shooting the breeze, discussing television shows or analyzing the minutiae of your child's everyday life. Instead, engage your girlfriends with deep questions, share time in prayer, confess sin to one another and then build one another up by reminding each other of the gospel and the glory of sin forgiven! Imagine if that were our template for spending time with our Christian sisters! Is this not true fellowship?

That said, who wants a coffee date? I'll put you in my planner.

A Word on Reading Goals

Last Year, 2006, I completed an exciting reading goal -- 100 new books. This year, I accomplished a different reading goal -- something I've never done before -- I read through the Bible in a year. I have read through the whole Bible before, but never consecutively, and all in one year's time. My fear was that I would read as quickly as I could so that I could just check it off my list, which of course, is a temptation. But I found my time sitting at Jesus' feet quite precious, and often I would slowly read the passages, and take time to meditate on them, and record my reflections in my journal.

For 2008, I am going to read through the Bible again, this time using the M'Cheyne Bible Reading Chart and use For the Love of God by D.A. Carson as a companion for the daily readings. Each calendar date is assigned 4 Old and New Testament passages to read, as well as a devotional that corresponds with one of the passages. I am excited about a new adventure in God's Word! Reading through the whole Bible has helped me to see the whole council of God, and to better understand the big picture.

May I encourage you to have a reading goal? I loathe to call it a "New Year's Resolution" -- aren't those made just to be broken? And even if they are kept, isn't it likely that we are the ones who get the credit ("I kept a resolution -- aren't I good at bettering myself!?)? But it is wise to take account of your days, to look down the year, and to make a plan. Here are some tips on making a reading goal -- a Bible reading goal or otherwise:

1. Don't aim low just so you know you can attain it. I just cringe when I see things like this, which just seems to communicate "I'm doing the absolute least I can". Why not aim high? Even if you fall a bit short, you will likely read quite a bit more than if you had not aimed at all.

2. Look through the books you know you want to read, and plot them out for the year. I make lists in a notebook. That way, if there is something I really want to read, but I know I won't have time quite yet, I plan to read it next month, or two months from now. I enjoy reading seasonally (for instance, about the Passover near Easter), so I plan to read that in March or April. I know I'd forget about many books if I did not keep my lists!

3. Do take recommendations. Sometimes I feel like "I can't take any more recommendations! I have too much to read already!" You can always add those recommendations to your list, and try them later.

4. Stay balanced with variety. Sometimes I get on kicks with certain authors or subjects, but I try to have a mix of fiction and non-fiction, books that will encourage my Christian growth, and books for fun, long books and shorter ones. It's good to plan this out, as well.

Happy reading!

Prayer Walking

I just had the most wonderful morning. After I went to the grocery, and returned home with a big cup of Starbucks, I felt inclined to sit outside and read my Bible underneath the starry sky and a brilliantly shining moon. This personal time with the Lord was so precious and sweet, as He convicted me of a glaring sin I had unknowingly been clinging to, and brought me sweet repentance and instruction through His Word. I did not want it to end. The crisp early morning was bidding me to stay out and further enjoy quiet time on the quiet campus, and I had the idea to go on a prayer walk around the Seminary lawn. This idea of prayer walking had been planted in my mind by Terry Rogstad, a godly woman at my church, who mentioned how she loved to go for walks and speak to the Lord.

Perhaps this is something everyone does, but it was new to me! How delightful to praise, pray, speak out loud, or whisper very softly requests that tumbled to the forefront of my mind as I was stimulated by the exercise. Scriptures came, and I prayed those for dear ones I loved, and at the very end (there is a big clock on top of one of the buildings that chimes the half hours so I could watch my time) I saw the gorgeous sunrise, orange and pink and peach, filling the sky with a sorbet of colorful clouds.

Here is a scripture (paraphrased) that I prayed for my sisters (Anna, Emily, if you are reading this, I pray this for you):

Ephesians 3:16&19
I pray that from His glorious, unlimited resources
he will empower you with inner strength through His Spirit.
May you experience the love of Christ,
though it is too great to understand fully understand,
then you will be made complete with all fullness of life and power that comes from God.

Sitting at Jesus' Feet

Today wraps up my 3rd week of "The 5am Club", and I wanted to share what has been -- by far -- the dearest blessing of this extra time in my life: sitting at Jesus' feet.

Each morning after a bit of tea and walking around to make sure I'm truly awake, I head straight for my chair-I-got-from-Julie, and plaid blanket-I-found-at-a-football-game. I'm reading through the Bible this year, and as much as I've really loved it, I had been cutting corners due to lack of time, mainly in the area of personal reflection. I wanted to journal some each day as a part of reflecting on the passages I read, but I was a bit uncertain how to begin (or continue, really). The chapter about "sitting at Jesus' feet" in Shopping for Time gave some simple but amazing ideas about journaling when you read God's Word. Instead of searching for "application" to "try and get something out of it" (oh! That expression pains me, and it must pain Christ!), they recommended writing sentences that began with either "God . . ." based on what the passage revealed about God, His character, or actions and "I . . . " based on what the scripture says about man, and thus, myself. This will continue to draw our attention to the Main Character of the story, and will lead us to appropriate conclusions about ourselves, warn us of sin, and encourage us in our faith.

I have found this extremely helpful. Clearly, it is no difficulty to journal when you have simple sentence starters like that! Often, I keep writing, drawing further conclusions from the text. I also make a notation of any "Rameh" I am given (I think that means "word", help me out here, my Greek-scholar friends). Many many years ago, my dear Pastor Joe taught us to look for times when the Word directly and immediately impacts you in your daily walk (for example: I am downcast because of a hurt in my life caused by someone I love, and I read Psalm 34 which tells me "The Lord is close to the brokenhearted; He rescues those whose spirits are crushed . . etc."). When the Lord gives me those choice portions, I thankfully write "rameh" in my journal along with the passage and the situation it regards. It is rare and sweet, like a taste of wild honey.

I am just like a little baby crawling in this area. I have read my Bible daily for the majority of my life, but these little practices have made quite a difference in how I approach my reading. I am looking for any insights on prayer. Right now, I pray the scripture I read, and with that any confessions that need to be made are made. I also pray the scripture for others (for instance, if I read a passage about marriage, I pray for my friends' marriages or for my single friends who would like to be married). Making "grocery lists" of requests burned me out a long time ago, but I know it is good to be systematic in how I pray, so I wonder if any of you have a good system that has been a big blessing to your prayer life.