Grandparenting joy!
I have always heard people say if they had known how fun grandkids were they would have had them first! I know what that means now! By God's grace, I am now proud to call myself, "Mimi"! Our precious granddaughter was born September 22, 2012 and we couldn't be more thrilled! She is practically perfect! Practically you say? Yes, because we know that she was born a little sinner, just like her mother before her!
The one thing I have always looked forward to about being a grandparent is leaving a wonderful, godly heritage to my grandchildren. I want to be remembered for my love for Jesus and how I took every opportunity to talk to them about Him. Walking down the street, playing in the yard, sitting at the kitchen table and snuggling up in bed. Oh how I long to do that with Ellie! She is but 11 weeks old at this writing and 2500 miles away so, my interaction with her will be minimal so when I do have the privilege to actually spend time with her, it must count for Christ!
I look forward to sitting at our table with her playing with playdough and talking about how God formed her in her mothers womb and created her to glorify Him. When we play outside we'll talk about God's beautiful creation that He spoke into existence. Walking down the street or in a park and being reminded that we are blessed to be able to walk and talk and see everything around us. Lying in bed snuggling up with a Bible and reading about the wonderful accounts of God's love, grace, justice, wisdom, sovereignty, love, salvation and everything contained in it.
Oh what wonderful opportunities for the Gospel with my little lamb and hopefully lambs plural! I am blessed to be a Mimi and praying one day all my little lambs will be close so I can do all these things a Mimi should do! I would not trade this opportunity for having my girls first as that was my greatest joy-motherhood! I loved being home with my girls and teaching them all the things I will teach my grandkids. God in His goodness has given me this great opportunity once again and I want to make the most of it, by His grace!
Looking upward,
Bronni
Wednesday, December 12, 2012
Tuesday, August 14, 2012
Happy at home!
Well, I have finally reached that point in my life where I have time to do things that I love! While I was raising my 2 girls my life and time was happily devoted to them and making sure I did all I could to train them to be godly women, wives and moms. We homeschooled so the only hobby I really did was sewing, because it was beneficial for our family. I loved making things for them!Now I am able to sit back and watch God do with them what pleases Him. Our oldest daughter will have our first grandchild in about 7 weeks, Lord willing! I am ecstatic and cannot wait to hold that little bundle in my arms! I love children but I'm especially drawn to babies! I have the pleasure of watching my daughter as she prepares to be a mommy and honor God in that. My latest passion has been sewing everything I can think of for this baby, as well as monogramming most all of what I made! What fun I've had!
I now have a room dedicated to my sewing, which is wonderful! It used to be our school room so there were bittersweet moments as we transformed it into my sewing nook. There hasn't been time until now to really get into embroidering so now I have it and am enjoying it so much. I can't wait to sew some little people clothes again! I have also acquired a love for vinyl lettering on the walls of our home and am completing my first project with some Scripture in where else, my sewing room! I plan to put Scripture in other rooms so we can keep our minds renewed and refreshed!
Our youngest daughter is starting her second year of college and is doing so well! While she is still at home, she really isn't here very much because she is also working so we don't get to see her as much as we'd like. I think the Lord is slowly preparing me for the empty nest, which we will experience next year as she transfer to The Master's College in California, just like her sister did. I'm not sure I'm going to like the empty nest! I want to be able to enjoy her for as long as I can!!
I have been happy, fulfilled, sharpened, humbled and taught by being a stay-at-home mom and wife and I wouldn't trade it for anything in the world! It's where I am the happiest. I have never desired to work or have a career, because I saw my home and family as my job, though it was not a "job". It has been fun and wonderful! We opened a business while our girls were still young and for a number of years, things were very tight financially and had I gone to work, it might not have been as tight. We were not willing to give up my time at home with my girls because we realized how important those years were. We learned to do without and got very creative with lunches some days when the cupboards were a little bare. My girls remember those days with fondness and laughter! We made memories you can't replace!
I have had people ask me if I am going to work now that the girls are grown. Absolutely not! I am still a homemaker with a husband who needs a nice home to come home to at the end of the day and I am preparing for having my grandchildren in my home, where training in godliness will still continue. I am happiest in my home! I praise God for the opportunity to do this for it is by His provision that I have been able to. He has been ever faithful! Titus 2 commands us to be "keepers at home" and I happily obey!!
Here are a few of the things I have recently done or am working on.
My sewing room thread board and current vinyl project along the top!
Happy at home,
Bronni
Wednesday, May 23, 2012
Without a word from the Word!
"When we leave the sword of God’s Word at the door, we leave behind our sharpest weapon, Scripture. Game over. But perhaps worse than that, when we evangelicals do not support our positions with the Bible, then we are simply a competing interest group. In this case, we are Pharisaical moralists who appear to merely want to impose our archaic values on others." Todd Friel, Wretched Radio
I was struck by this statement and realized this is a huge problem in Christianity today. We try to defend our ground without using the foundation of Scripture. How can we help people see their need for a Savior if they don't hear the Gospel? How can we defend anything without Scripture?
We can't!
We must stand on the firm foundation of God's Word to do anything! If not, we are just giving our opinion and who cares about that, frankly? If I cannot defend a point using Scripture or it's not clearly stated in there, then I cannot shout my point and say it's truth. There are grey areas in life that you cannot find a specific passage about and in that case, do what most would honor God and bring Him glory but first, search His Word to make sure. 2 Peter says that the Scriptures have all we need for life and godliness! That's encouraging! God knew before the foundation of the world what we would need and he inspired great men to write what He inspired them to for our benefit. Go to the Word before you make choices, try to defend something or teach someone. In it is Truth for all mankind and it's true whether men choose to believe it or not.
2 Peter 1:3
seeing that His divine power has granted to us everything pertaining to life and godliness, through the true knowledge of Him who called us by His own glory and excellence.
Ephesians 6:14
Stand firm therefore, HAVING GIRDED YOUR LOINS WITH TRUTH...............
Go therefore and preach the Gospel to all nations and use the Bible!!
For His glory,
Bronni
I was struck by this statement and realized this is a huge problem in Christianity today. We try to defend our ground without using the foundation of Scripture. How can we help people see their need for a Savior if they don't hear the Gospel? How can we defend anything without Scripture?
We can't!
We must stand on the firm foundation of God's Word to do anything! If not, we are just giving our opinion and who cares about that, frankly? If I cannot defend a point using Scripture or it's not clearly stated in there, then I cannot shout my point and say it's truth. There are grey areas in life that you cannot find a specific passage about and in that case, do what most would honor God and bring Him glory but first, search His Word to make sure. 2 Peter says that the Scriptures have all we need for life and godliness! That's encouraging! God knew before the foundation of the world what we would need and he inspired great men to write what He inspired them to for our benefit. Go to the Word before you make choices, try to defend something or teach someone. In it is Truth for all mankind and it's true whether men choose to believe it or not.
2 Peter 1:3
seeing that His divine power has granted to us everything pertaining to life and godliness, through the true knowledge of Him who called us by His own glory and excellence.
Ephesians 6:14
Stand firm therefore, HAVING GIRDED YOUR LOINS WITH TRUTH...............
Go therefore and preach the Gospel to all nations and use the Bible!!
For His glory,
Bronni
Monday, February 13, 2012
Is there a cost to your Christianity?
I was struck by this daily Grace Gem written by J. C. Ryle:
Is there any cross in your Christianity?
There is a common worldly kind of Christianity in this day, which many have--a cheap Christianity . . .
which offends nobody,
which requires no sacrifice,
which costs nothing--and is worth nothing!
But if you really are in earnest about your soul,
if your religion is something more than a mere fashionable Sunday cloak,
if you are determined to live by the Bible,
if you are resolved to be a New Testament Christian--
then you will soon find that you must carry a cross. You must endure hard things; you must suffer in behalf of your soul, as Moses did--or you cannot be saved.
The offense of the cross is not ceased!
God's true people are still a despised little flock.
True evangelical religion still brings with it reproach and scorn.
A real servant of God will still be thought an enthusiast and a fool by many.
If there is no cross--there will be no crown!
I can say with confidence that we, in America, will one day suffer persecution to a degree we have never known yet, Christians in 3d world countries see everyday. When I read the Voice of the Martyrs my heart sinks and I feel helpless to do anything. What I don't realize is that my prayers are heard by our great God who is sovereign in all things and allows all things for a purpose.
I learned something very important when reading last months issue and that is, don't pray for those who suffer to be released from their chains or sufferings, rather pray for God to be glorified and to give endurance and peace to those suffering so that God's Word might go forth in the power of the Holy Spirit. If God allowed them to be where they are, He has a purpose and to pray for it to be removed would be like praying that the Gospel will stop being preached! WOW! I would have never thought of it that way.
Now, back to America where Christianity is only less than tolerated but not truly persecuted. Let's look back at J. C. Ryle's quote:
which offends nobody,
which requires no sacrifice,
which costs nothing--and is worth nothing!
Do you always worry that you will offend someone by telling them you are a Christian or calling out a false teacher or false religion? Why? Because someone may give you a tongue lashing? Others wish they were as fortunate! We must be bold in our faith and proclaim the Gospel wherever and whenever we can by the power of the Holy Spirit that lives within us. We must refute false teachers and false religions and tell the world that Jesus is the only way, not one of many! Thousands are being led astray everyday by those who don't want to offend. The Gospel is offensive, especially to sinners who want nothing to do with it!
If your Christianity costs you nothing, perhaps you never "bought" it! Bear your cross daily for the sake of the Gospel and when you reach Glory you will hear those long awaited words: "well done, good and faithful servant"!! God help me persevere and in love, offend with the Gospel!
For His glory and because of His grace,
Bronni
Is there any cross in your Christianity?
There is a common worldly kind of Christianity in this day, which many have--a cheap Christianity . . .
which offends nobody,
which requires no sacrifice,
which costs nothing--and is worth nothing!
But if you really are in earnest about your soul,
if your religion is something more than a mere fashionable Sunday cloak,
if you are determined to live by the Bible,
if you are resolved to be a New Testament Christian--
then you will soon find that you must carry a cross. You must endure hard things; you must suffer in behalf of your soul, as Moses did--or you cannot be saved.
The offense of the cross is not ceased!
God's true people are still a despised little flock.
True evangelical religion still brings with it reproach and scorn.
A real servant of God will still be thought an enthusiast and a fool by many.
If there is no cross--there will be no crown!
I can say with confidence that we, in America, will one day suffer persecution to a degree we have never known yet, Christians in 3d world countries see everyday. When I read the Voice of the Martyrs my heart sinks and I feel helpless to do anything. What I don't realize is that my prayers are heard by our great God who is sovereign in all things and allows all things for a purpose.
I learned something very important when reading last months issue and that is, don't pray for those who suffer to be released from their chains or sufferings, rather pray for God to be glorified and to give endurance and peace to those suffering so that God's Word might go forth in the power of the Holy Spirit. If God allowed them to be where they are, He has a purpose and to pray for it to be removed would be like praying that the Gospel will stop being preached! WOW! I would have never thought of it that way.
Now, back to America where Christianity is only less than tolerated but not truly persecuted. Let's look back at J. C. Ryle's quote:
which offends nobody,
which requires no sacrifice,
which costs nothing--and is worth nothing!
Do you always worry that you will offend someone by telling them you are a Christian or calling out a false teacher or false religion? Why? Because someone may give you a tongue lashing? Others wish they were as fortunate! We must be bold in our faith and proclaim the Gospel wherever and whenever we can by the power of the Holy Spirit that lives within us. We must refute false teachers and false religions and tell the world that Jesus is the only way, not one of many! Thousands are being led astray everyday by those who don't want to offend. The Gospel is offensive, especially to sinners who want nothing to do with it!
If your Christianity costs you nothing, perhaps you never "bought" it! Bear your cross daily for the sake of the Gospel and when you reach Glory you will hear those long awaited words: "well done, good and faithful servant"!! God help me persevere and in love, offend with the Gospel!
For His glory and because of His grace,
Bronni