This link: http://deathisnotdying.com/fullvideo/
is such an encouragement for me this month. This month marks the 10 year anniversary of my dear mom’s homegoing to the Lord. What a joy and sorrow to see another woman trusting God and His Hand in the midst of dying. That is how my mother was! That’s how I want to be!
Watch the video! A woman dying soon who loves God and Christ and the Gospel shares. It’s long but wonderful!
From my villa to yours~
What is a Healthy Church Member? (Anyabwile) * I love the local church and this book reminded me again to commit my time and love to it after my family!
The Legacy of Sovereign Joy (Piper) * I think this is the second time I’ve read this one and I was so encouraged with the biographies that I read book two
The Hidden Smile of God (Piper) a few days later. Could not put these down. What a great God we serve and how wonderfully He has worked in History in Augustine, Luther and Calvin and Bunyan, Cowper, and Brainerd–and still is working wonderfully!
Duggars: What an encouraging story of a family who lives like no one else with almost 20 children–I’m thinking we could adopt 20 but I’m not sure if I can convince Mr. Capranica!!
And in process with…
Heart of the West (OHenry) * For Fun!
The Gospel According the Jesus (MacArthur) * To Keep Up with Bret!
Feminine Appeal (Mchaney) * For a Reminder of my life verse: Titus 2:3-5!
Can’t promise how faithful I will be to this plague…I mean chain…uh social tool, but I’m going to try it.
See my updates on the right column of my blog!
From my villa to yours~
The new goal in our home is to finish the books we start! We have hundreds if not thousands of books that we want to read but just don’t seem to finish. It’s actually a trait we see developing in our children: Brie loves to start a book and then before we can get through the first few pages she closes the book for us and points to a new one! Not a good habit. So we are all working on this goal!
Bret can tell you on his blog about the books he’s finishing (which I’m sure he will) but I’d like to write a summary of the one I just finished because it was excellent!
The Discipline of Grace by Jerry Bridges
Jerry Bridges is one of those authors that if you can get your hands on anything he’s written it is worth your time and will indeed inform and encourage your heart in the things of Christ and walking in His ways. The Discipline of Grace does not disappoint.
Main Point: Preach the Gospel to Yourself Daily: The truths of the Gospel are not for the lost to bring them to salvation alone but rather for the lost man/woman who embraces the Gospel and lives it out all his/her days. We are to preach the Gospel to ourselves each day, even multiple times each day, to fortify ourselves in the faith until we see Christ face to face.
The first section of the book dispels the myth that we have to be good in God’s sight to be pleasing to Him.
The second section does a wonderful job of explaining in detail the various aspects of the Gospel. Bridges’ comprehensive details of the Gospel was so refreshing (and weighty). No 5 points here and your in here!
One chapter entitled “Dependent Discipline” did a great job of describing the balance between our work in disciplining ourselves in godliness and depending on God to do His good work in us: an airplane has two wings (discipline and dependence) and it cannot fly with only one wing!
The final few chapters encouraged the reader to be disciplined in:
commitments, convictions, choices, watching and adversity!
Commitments: “We must make it our aim not to sin”. And be committed to it! Intend to please God in all areas of my life. Be specific. Remind self that God’s mercy is Great!
Convictions: “Believing something so strongly that it affects the way you live”. We are going to be influenced either by the world or the word of God! Know where our convictions come from with chapter and verse! Memorize the word and apply it to my life. Remind self that God’s Grace is Great!
Choices: Romans 6:19 offer parts of body in slavery to righteousness leading to holiness (para). Little choices matter. Mortify ALL Sin in the Flesh! Attack Desires. Walk with someone else in prayer and accountability.
Watching: Know enemy (devil, self and world). Study myself and be serious about my own weaknesses. Be carefully with liberty (it’s not how close can I get to the edge but how far can I stay away from it to be safe!).
Adversity: Our Father disciplines those whom He loves. If we’re not disciplined, we’re not His! Submit to it because it will make us righteous. Glory will exceed hardship now!
Live in all things by the Gospel of Grace!
From my villa to yours~
Love comes from the Father and we see His example of love so clearly in the Gospel of His Son the Lord Jesus Christ. Love is a gift.
Here are two little girls that I by the grace of God love dearly…
Brie (just turned one year old); our adoption of her was finalized at the end of January! She is officially Gabriella “Brie” Ann Capranica!
Josi (7 months old now) what a sweet little baby!
