Love

I'm sure you're all surprised about my post title, right? :)  Love has been on my mind a lot lately thanks to God's amazing purpose in bringing Dylan and I together.  We have been memorizing 1 Corinthians 13 and while memorizing I've been thinking a good deal about what true love is.  I would like to share with you some of the things the Lord has been showing me.

True love is...

...A Sacrifice.
"For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life."  John 3:16
Love is a sacrifice as Christ demonstrated for us.  Love requires us to think higher of the other person and to humble ourselves.  This is not easy.  Jesus told us to "love our neighbor as ourselves" (Matthew 22:39).  Have you ever stopped to think how much we love ourselves?  We make sure we're comfortable, full, and at ease.  Do I treat others as good, if not better then I treat myself?  I don't think so...I need to work on that.

...A Decision.
"bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things.  Love never fails."  1 Corinthians 13:7-8a
Love is not how you feel at that moment...it is a choice.  Guess what guys, I'm marrying a sinner and so is he!  :) There will be times when we don't feel like loving each other, but we will have to take that thought captive and choose to love because Jesus says to.

...A Joy!
"For we have great joy and consolation in your love, because the hearts of the saints have been refreshed by you, brother."  Philemon 7
Have you ever noticed that right after love in the list of the fruits of the Spirit is joy?  Love is supposed to be joyous, not a drag or because I have to.  When we truly love like Jesus teaches we will be full of joy!

...A Perfect Picture of Christ.
"Therefore, just as the church is subject to Christ, so let the wives be to their own husbands in everything."  Ephesians 5:24
The marriage relationship was designed for many reasons but one of the main ones is to portray Christ's love and affection for His Body, the church.  What a responsibility!  How I love my husband and the people around me is how people will see God's love...through me!  Wow!

...A Pursuit.
"Pursue love..."  1 Corinthians 14:1a
"But you, O man of God, flee these things and pursue righteousness, godliness, faith, love, patience, gentleness."  1 Timothy 6:11
Practice makes perfect :)!  I need to pursue love...it does not come naturally to the flesh.  The Lord has been teaching me yet again that my actions flow from my thoughts.  If I pursue love in my thought life then I will demonstrate it in my actions and words.  That's hard to remember all the time :)!

Finally, a verse from my section of Scripture for the year:
"But above all these things put on love, which is the bond of perfection."  Colossians 3:14
Perfect love and everything else will fall in place.

Learning to delight in Jesus,
Hannah :)

Engaged!!

I'm back!  Sorry for the delay between posts but I just got back from a wonderful 13 days with my new extended family-to-be Wednesday.  I wanted to fill you guys in on the details of the engagement and the time since then.

It all started 2 weeks ago today....I had just gotten off of my plane and was headed towards the baggage claim area when off in the distance I saw the face of the one I loved and in his hands was a dozen red roses.  We met somewhere in the middle and said "hello".  He handed me the roses and I said my thanks before we headed down the escalator to pick up my obnoxious pink and purple bag :)!  The bag soon arrived and Dylan then picked it up and led me back up the escalator.  I wondered at this but figured he was just going to lead me over the covered walkway to the parking deck since it was snowing/sleeting outside (he's very considerate like that).  We began to walk over when he paused in the middle of the bridge.  I turned and asked if his car was this way.  He responded, "No".  At that point I was like "then why are we headed this way?", but before I could say anything he said, "I have something else for you."  I'm pretty sure my heart skipped a beat :)!  He then told me the words every woman wants to here "Hannah, I love you.".  I acknowledged that I loved him too and then he pulled a box out of his pocket, got down on one knee, and said, "Will you marry me?".  And I said "Yes!!".

Now, you have to understand the preciousness of this moment.  We had never said that we loved each other before (we had agreed to wait until we were engaged and committed), we had been serious in protecting each others hearts from the very beginning and had allowed ourselves very little romantic expressions.  Why?
The courtship process is different for everyone, but for us it was a time to pursue the possibility of marriage.  Since we did not know for sure whether or not we would be married, we endeavored to get to know each other as best as we could while still guarding each others hearts in case we weren't meant to be together.  Another guideline we had set is that we would not touch until we were married.  To most people this is crazy and over the top but our reasoning is this; I am not yet his.  Physical touch is an amazing gift from God to a married couple but unfortunately in today's dating culture physical touch is undervalued and overused.  We want it to be a special moment when we first hold hands in preparation for pledging ourselves to each other until "death do us part".  The Scripture warns "It is good for a man not to touch a woman." (1 Corinthians 7:1), so this is one of those areas we decided to be extra careful in :).

And thus ends our engagement story!  The Lord has been so good and it has been so obvious to both of us that He truly is the one that orchestrated our relationship.  We enjoyed our 13 days together and are so grateful for that time to draw closer to each other and to the Lord!  Please continue to pray for us as we begin planning for an April 19th, 2014 wedding.

Feel free to ask as many questions as you would like!  We want others to learn and be encouraged by all that the Lord has done!

In His love,
Hannah

P.S.- I hope to have a couple of posts in the near future detailing our courtship process!  So be prepared! :)

Book Review: Let Me Be A Woman

Elisabeth Elliot is one of my heroes of the faith!  Not only did she minister alongside her husband, Jim Elliot, to the Auca Indians, but she continued to minister to them even after they killed him.  She has written several books on the topic and on Jim's life.  She also has written several books on men and women and their relationships.  This was one of those books :)!
Mrs. Elliot wrote this book to her daughter who was getting ready to be married.  It reads more like a letter then a book and contains pages of motherly advice and wisdom.  She starts out by contrasting the differences between men and women.  Grounded in Scripture, she points out that a woman cannot find true joy unless she is a woman.   In today's society, thanks to the radical growth of the feminist movement, it has become hard to discern what our role is as women.  Only when we turn to the Bible can we attain a proper perspective on who we should be as women.  Mrs. Elliot points out that woman was made for man.  Now in today's culture that is almost instantaneously attacked.  But that's because our culture is no longer looking at things through a Biblical perspective.  In Genesis 2 it clearly states that woman was made to be man's helpmeet.  That's why it is a beautiful thing when two people, a man and a woman, choose to join their lives together and become one flesh.  But marriage is not the end of the story.  Mrs. Elliot covers the realities of married life.  In other words its not always going to be easy.  But if two people, under the authority of Jesus Christ, are willing to live out the roles assigned to them by God, it can be a beautiful thing!

Mrs. Elliot covers the four things you will receive when you marry a man:
~ A Sinner
~ A Man
~ A Husband
~ A Person

She also covers the topics of submission, obedience, humility, what makes marriage work, love (in both the physical and spiritual), and so much more!

I highly recommend this book for anyone preparing for, looking forward to, or getting ready for marriage!
Ages 16 and up or as directed by your parents :)

Learning to delight in Jesus,
Hannah :)

The Adventure Expanded

Hello Everyone,

I am so glad that I can now share a little bit more about the "adventure"!!

Last November I joined a homeschoolers alumni website (homeschoolalumni.org) per daddy's request.  I set up a profile and had the opportunity to post my convictions on a couple of forums on the website.  Then in February of this year a young man, who also was on the website, asked if he could send messages to me every-now-and-again.  Now I was not on this website to collect a large "friend" circle and I was especially careful about communicating online with a guy I didn't even know.  But after consulting with my father I agreed to write him back and forth.  I honestly didn't think anything of it.  I did not like the idea of online relationships and I had pretty much blocked that area off in my mind as an unrealistic way to get to know someone.  I did like what this guy had to say and appreciated his convictions but I was not romantically attached to him.  This is when the Lord started His plans :)!

Near the end of July this young man contacted my father and asked to start a courtship with me.  After 3-4 weeks of intense questioning regarding theology and convictions on both email and the phone, we were at the point where we needed to meet each other in person.  Dylan flew out here from Nebraska (where he lives) to stay with us for two weeks in the middle of September.  Our first meeting was a little awkward and we had a couple of things we needed to work out.  When he left to go back home I wasn't positive that we were going to continue the relationship.  So I handed that dream over to the Lord and waited.  Only a few days after Dylan had left he contacted me and asked me if I would fly out to Nebraska to stay with his family for 10 days.  I had complete peace with going and surprisingly (for me, anyway) I wasn't even nervous.  :)

I just got back from a wonderful 10 days with Dylan's family and with him.  I enjoyed the time we had to truly get to know each other and begin to give our hearts to each other.  He will be visiting us again next week and I hope to keep you all posted on this wonderful season in my life.  The Lord works in mysterious ways and when God writes your love story you must learn to expect the unexpected :)!

Prayers I know would be appreciated for the both of us as we continue to pursue the possibility of a lifetime together!

Please feel free to ask questions!  I want others to learn too!!

Learning to delight in Jesus,
Hannah

An Adventure

Tomorrow, dear friends, I start out on an adventure.  It should be fun, encouraging, and maybe even challenging but God will be with me all the while.  I've never done anything like this before and yet God's peace that passes all understanding has been my constant shield during this past year.  "Faith, have faith," those are the words God has placed on my heart.  Along with these verses from Psalm 40:

"I waited patiently for the Lord; and He inclined to me, and heard my cry.  
He has put a new song in my mouth- praise to our God; 
Many will see it and fear, and will trust in the Lord.  
Blessed is that man [or woman] who makes the Lord his [or her] trust.  
Many, O Lord my God, are Your wonderful works which You have done; 
And Your thoughts toward us cannot be recounted to You in order; 
If I would declare and speak of them, 
They are more than can be numbered.  
I delight to do Your will, O my God.  
And Your law is within my heart."

These verses have been the cry of my heart lately!
Prayers would be much appreciated as I embark on this adventure.  I hope when I return to share a little bit more of what God has been doing in my life!

Have a blessed week!
Learning to delight in Jesus,
Hannah :)

Life

Wow- time flies by a lot faster when you're older!  I can't believe it has been 2 months since my last post- you have my most sincere apologies.

The past two months have been above normal crazy.  The Lord has been working in a special way in my life and its been a time of ups and downs.  One minute I think I've got this contentment and waiting thing all under control and the next I'm wondering what His will is and when He's going to reveal it!  One second I'm super excited about all He's doing in my life and the next it seems like nothing is going as planned.  I'm learning to expect the unexpected with God.  His thoughts and plans are so above mine and I know they're so much better but sometimes I would like a little heads up ;).  Below is a section of Scripture that has encouraged and strengthened me during the past couple of months.

"I will bless the Lord who has given me counsel;
   my heart also instructs me in the night seasons.
I have set the Lord always before me;
   because He is at my right hand I shall not be moved.
Therefore my heart is glad, and my glory rejoices;
   my flesh also shall rest in hope.
You will show me the path of life;
   in Your presence is fullness of joy;
at Your right hand are pleasures forevermore."

Psalm 16:7-9,11

What a comfort to know that God has my whole life in the palm of His hands and that He is in complete control!  Over the past couple of weeks I've had to learn to continually place all of my ambitions, hopes, and plans in His hands.  I've had to learn to surrender my dreams and desires for His dreams and desires for me.  It has been a learning process but also a process full of joy as I draw closer to my Savior every day!  In Bright Lights last week I taught on contentment without even realizing how much I would need to learn from that lesson :)!  But God has been patient with me and He continues to love and gently guide me along His paths.  What an amazing God I serve!

May the Lord's blessings be with you all this week!
Until next time..... :)
Learning to delight in Jesus,
Hannah :)

Saved

I was in a pit, all dirty and bruised
And nothing I did could bring me to You.
No method of mine or work of my own,
Could bring me before Your holy throne.

I thought I was stuck, condemned for life
Until I saw Your sacrifice.
You jumped in beside me and said with a smile,
"Can I help you up, my little child?"

With a prayer and a nod You hoisted me up.
Now I was no longer stuck in that muck!
Through my tears I could see my new heavenly home,
In the midst of which dwelt Your holy throne.

I was clothed with a gown as white as snow,
And given a crown so that all would know;
That I had been saved from a life of sin,
By He who had come to dwell with men.

Now I am free, not stuck anymore.
And what can I say but "Thank You, Lord!"
For without Your help I would still be there
All stuck in the muck, with none who care.

This freedom's for all who simply ask
For none but God can accomplish this task;
To save and rescue sinners who are damned,
And present them faultless before the Great I AM!

"For when we were still without strength,
in due time Christ died for the ungodly."
Romans 5:6

Learning to delight in Jesus,
Hannah :)

The 4th of July

I picked up a "new" book on our bookshelf last week called "American History Stories" by Mara Pratt.  I thought it might be rather boring but it was actually incredibly factual and interesting.  There were several things that I didn't know about the American Revolution that I discovered in this book. One thing I discovered was this poem which celebrates when the Liberty Bell was rung for the very first time.  I hope you all enjoy it as much as I did!

There was tumult in the city,
In the quaint old Quaker town,
And the streets were rife with people,
Pacing restless up and down;
People gathering at corners,
Where they whispered each to each,
And the sweat stood on their temples,
With the earnestness of speech.

"Will they do it?"  "Dare they do it?"
"Who is speaking?"  "What's the news?"
"What of Adams?"  "What of Sherman?"
"Oh, God grant they won't refuse!"
"Make some way there!"  "Let me nearer!"
"I am stifling!"  "Stifle then!
When a nation's life's at hazard,
We've not time to think of men!"

So they beat against the portal,
Man and woman, maid and child;
And the July sun in heaven 
On the scene looked down and smiled,
The same sun that saw the Spartan
Shed his patriot blood in vain,
Now beheld the soul of freedom
All unconquer'd rise again.

See!  See!  The dense crowd quivers
Through all its lengthy line,
As the boy beside the portal
Looks forth to give the sign!
With his small hands upward lifted,
Breezes dallying with his hair,
Hark! with deep, clear intonation,
Breaks his young voice on the air.

Hushed the people's swelling murmur,
List, the boy's exultant cry!
"Ring!" he shouts, "Ring, Grandpa,
Ring, O, ring for Liberty!"
And straightway at the signal,
The old bellman lifts his hand,
And sends the good news, making
Iron music through the land.

How they shouted!  What rejoicing!
How the old bell shook the air,
'Till the clang of freedom ruffled
The calm gliding Delaware!
How the bonfires and the torches
Illumed the night's repose,
And from the flames like fabled Phoenix,
Our glorious Liberty arose!

That old bell now is silent,
And hushed its iron tongue,
But the spirit it awakened,
Still lives- forever young.
And when we greet the smiling sunlight,
On the fourth of each July,
We'll ne'er forget the bellman,
Who, betwixt the earth and sky,
Rang out Our Independence,
Which, please God, shall never die!

Amen!  This poem brings tears to my eyes.  We've strayed so far from the liberty our forefathers gave their lives for.  Only after reading something like this can we truly appreciate what we are now trying to preserve...our liberty.

May your 4th be blessed and during the festivities of the day may we remember the true meaning behind the what we celebrate.  "One nation, under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all!"

Learning to delight in Jesus,
Hannah

Ministry

*Once again a little preview of last night's Bright Lights lesson*

As we grow in our walks with the Lord we will desire to serve Him as an outflow of this love we have for Him.  This is ministry.

"By this My Father is glorified, that you bear much fruit; so you will be My disciples."
John 15:8

When we hear the word ministry what do we usually think of?  I know some of my first thoughts include helping orphans, being a pastor in a church, evangelizing in foreign countries, etc.  But in reality ministry begins in the heart.  As we draw closer to Jesus and He becomes a reality in our life, we naturally want others to draw close to Him too.

So, how do we find a ministry to be involved in?  Actually, I firmly believe that God will bring a ministry to us.  Each of us have unique talents and gifts so each of the ministries God calls us to will be different.  But there is one area of ministering that we all can be involved in and that is our families.  Now, this ministry may not be viewed by others as a valid ministry, but I don't think they're right.  When the world sees brothers and sisters loving each other or children honoring and obeying their parents you are being ministers to them.  I would say the the home is the training ground for future ministry opportunities.  Home is where character is developed and where the attitudes of our hearts are truly revealed.  It is the proving ground so-to-speak.

It is important to remember that no ministry that the Lord calls you to is big or small compared to what someone else is involved in.  

"Who then is Paul, and who is Apollos, but ministers through whom you believed, as the Lord gave to each one?  I planted, Apollos watered, but God gave the increase.  So then neither he who plants is anything, nor he who waters, but God who gives the increase.  Now he who plants and he who waters are one, and each one will receive his own reward according to his own labor.
For we are God’s fellow workers; you are God’s field, you are God’s building.  According to the grace of God which was given to me, as a wise master builder I have laid the foundation, and another builds on it. But let each one take heed how he builds on it.  For no other foundation can anyone lay than that which is laid, which is Jesus Christ."
1 Corinthians 3:5-11

What a good reminder from Paul (or rather, from the Lord)!  A ministry must have Jesus Christ as the foundation.  If He is not there then we're simply building a house on sand.  We must ask God to show us the ministry He wants us involved in.

One last thing to remember is that we cannot properly minister for God in our own strength.  He gives us a ministry and He gives us the strength to minister.

"For he who sows to his flesh will of the flesh reap corruption, but he who sows to the Spirit will of the Spirit reap everlasting life.  And let us not grow weary while doing good, for in due season we shall reap if we do not lose heart.  Therefore, as we have opportunity, let us do good to all, especially to those who are of the household of faith."
Galatians 6:8-10 

If we do become weary while doing good I think we should check our hearts and see if possibly we've taken the reigns from God (it is so easy to do that, you know...sometimes it happens without realizing it).  It truly is simple- simply sit back and relax while He guides us along the narrow way-it is just difficult to allow Him to have access to all of us/me!

Have a great week!
Learning to delight in Jesus,
Hannah

Thoughts

I've had plenty of thoughts floating around my head lately.  I'll do my best to express them clearly on this blog for both my records and for your entertainment ;).

Thought #1:  My brothers;  they're not little boys anymore.  In fact one of them is already taller than me and the other is closing in.  But I'm learning how to have a relationship with brothers who now are maturing and growing in their manhood.  I truly admire my brothers.  No longer are they my little nuisances (although sometimes they do cause quite a commotion :), but their my fellow laborers, my brothers-in-Christ, and my role models.  I see them daily increasing in the virtues and character qualities that I hope to one day see in my husband.  I do love them very much (:!

Thought #2:  Serving at the PRC.  It is both rewarding and difficult.  I love being there and it sure challenges  me in all areas of my walk with Christ.  The counseling room is an amazing opportunity to present the gospel to those who really are at a crisis in life but it can also be intimidating.  The one fear I have is that I'll miss an opportunity to preach Christ or that my words will not be what they should be.  The staff at the PRC have done their best to prepare me for every situation but in the end, the Lord is the only one with me in that room.  I pray constantly that He'll work through me and keep ME out of the way!

Thought #3:  The homeschool convention.  I love attending HEAV's convention every year.  It lifts me up and encourages me even though I'm no longer a student or a homeschool mom.  The many topics they cover, such as courtship/dating, having a biblical worldview, and learning from those who have graduated, speak to all people in all areas of life.  My sister and I even had a chance to volunteer in preparing food for the 300+ speakers and their families on Saturday morning.  That was a blessing!  I enjoy meeting new people who have a heart for the Lord, a heart for children, and a heart for serving.

Thought #4:  This country.  It seems like every day I hear of something new that wants to undermine and destroy our faith and freedom.  We are so blessed to live in this nation but I'm frequently reminded that freedom isn't free.  We must stand and defend that which our forefathers stood for and defended in this nation.  What my role is in all this....... I'm not so sure but when I know I'll let you know.

Thought #5:  B.R.I.G.H.T. Lights.  I love each and every one of the girls the Lord has brought to these meetings.  I have grown in my walk with the Lord and have been so encouraged to see these young ladies truly desire to honor and serve the Lord right now in their youth.  I'm so grateful for my family, especially my sisters, who help me lead this group.  They help with prep, music, and clean-up afterwards.  Thank you girls, I couldn't do it without you!

Thought #6:  Sin.  How I hate it!  It's a constant struggle to gain the upper-hand and if I start to relax for a second, let my guard down for an instant, it attacks again with a vengeance.  Thankfully I don't have to fight this battle alone...if I only I remember my weapons during the attack!

Thought #7:  It's been officially one year since I've graduated.  I look back at a year ago and I remember the feelings and emotions surrounding graduation and I'm so thankful for where the Lord has brought me now.  Although I didn't see the path He truly did lead me and I pray He continues to do so!

Okay, I think that's all for now!
I leave you with a verse from this past week.
"Beware that you do not forget the Lord your God by not keeping His commandments, His judgments, and His statutes which I command you today."
Deuteronomy 8:11

Learning to delight in Jesus,
Hannah :)