Hospitality

The ladies at GirlTalk are starting a series on hospitality. 

If you're not familiar with them, I'd encourage you to head over for a visit. I can promise you that you will not be disappointed. 

Here is a favorite highlight of the posts that have been made so far:

"Hospitality=Love+Stranger

Hospitality is a love of strangers. “It is to show kindness to strangers in such a way  that they cease to be strangers.” It is “A concrete and personal expression of Christian love, intended to include strangers in a circle of care.” (New Dictionary of Biblical Theology)

A “stranger” isn’t merely a person you’ve never laid eyes on before. So often, people in our churches, neighborhoods, jobs, schools, and even extended family are strangers. Even though we see them every day, we hardly know them. 

But when someone walks through our front door, a tangible, powerful thing happens. There is a fundamental change in our relationship. People who were once strangers cease to be strangers. They become a guest, and even a friend." 

As someone that is said to be gifted in this area, this series has caught my attention for sure! Please feel free to jump back here for a discussion of any points that interest, challenge, or inspire you! 

Why the Name?

I've got a confession to make. It's nothing extreme. As with a lot of the writing I do, when I named my blog the words just came to me (Through*For*By). Since I liked the sound of them, I kept them even though I really wasn't sure exactly what they meant or where they came from.

Sure, I knew that meditating on Scriptures like Colossians 1:16 melded these words into my heart and mind. But at the time, the why behind me choosing these words for my blog was a mystery to me.

Last night, out of nowhere, they came into my head. All three, one by one, along with meaning. 

For anyone wondering, here is the simple answer to the meaning behind the title of my blog:

 I live THROUGH God, FOR God, because I was created BY God. 

Meditating on the Word

I spent some time in Psalm 73. I was so moved by this Psalm that I want to share with you the verses that especially stuck out to me. 

Understand that I picked up my Bible and thought, "Let's see what 73 has to say." 

As it turns out, the theme of this chapter fits right into what God has been teaching me lately and the studying I've been doing through John Piper's book "Desiring God: Meditations of a Christian Hedonist".

Truly God is good to Israel, to those are pure in heart.

But as for me, my feet had almost stumbled, my steps had nearly slipped. For I was envious of the arrogant when I saw the prosperity of the wicked.

Behold, these are the wicked: always at ease, they increase in riches.

But when I thought how to understand this [the confusion expressed in vs. 13-15], it seemed to me a wearisome task, until I went into the sanctuary of God; then I discerned their end. How they are destroyed in a moment, swept away utterly by terrors!

When my soul was embittered, when I was pricked in heart, I was brutish and ignorant; I was like a beast toward You. Nevertheless, I am continually with You; You hold my right hand. You guide me with Your counsel, and afterward You will receive me to Glory.

Whom have I in heaven but You? 

And there is nothing on earth that I desire besides You.

My flesh and my heart may fail, but God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever. 

For behold, those who are far from You shall perish; You put an end to everyone who is unfaithful to You. 

But for me it is good to be near God;

I have made the Lord God my refuge,

that I may tell of all Your works!!!

Encounters in the City

I spent my Saturday running errands and shopping in the city this weekend. We saw a lot of things, made some good purchases, had interesting conversations, and discovered a little bit more of secular humanism's influence in America.

Among the things we saw:

Two car accidents.

The providence of God - had mom rushed along like I was pushing her to do towards the end of the day, the chances are very great that we would have been around for both of them.

People who worship very different things made manifest by the way they talk, dress, and act.

Cute old people - 'nuff said.

"Corner!" at Outback Steakhouse.

Pretty scenery.

Comments among the conversations we had:

"It's not their place to judge....Everyone has a right to be who they want"

"I really admire that. It takes a special person to follow God [so religiously]."


Some amazing things about the day were the amount of things we got done...the provision of the Lord in the way of some new clothes to add to my wardrobe (with the styles of today it truly is a blessing when I pick up modest clothes that fit my figure)...mom lasted longer than I did...God gave us safe travels, good fellowship with one another, and more reasons to be thankful for the community we live in!

Looking New

As you probably noticed, I just gave my blog a fresh new look....When I checked in this morning to do a new post, I forgot that I had changed everything and actually thought that I was at a blog besides my own! I'm not sure if I like this bright new look yet. What do you all think of it?

These last few months, my family has been having the privilege of meeting and spending time with new people. We have traveled far and wide going to conferences, family retreats, meetings, etc. As someone who loves to travel I'm almost always up for some sort of trip. When new people and places are involved, I get that much more excited.

For me, these getaways have been great for a number of reasons:

- the house is clean when we leave and I have an excuse to pursue cleanly perfection

- the van is in order with the luggage area neatly packed and arranged, snacks and drinks to go around, etc.

- the Biblical teaching and discussions are such a blessing

- the new faces and old faces that eagerly wait to meet, greet, and speak with you

- the scenery between here and wherever we go is always worth seeing

- we come home feeling refreshed, often times closer together, and ready to live out loud


Why do you enjoy taking trips?