Our Church

Above is a pic of my youngest daughter and me.

Go HERE to watch the progress of our front yard being landscaped.

My Husband, My brother in Christ

I especially enjoy writing about Biblical Womanhood as well as the application of Biblical theology from the perspective of a woman longing to communicate my love for who God is as revealed in His Word of knowable and applicable truth and NOT who I imagine He is from some sentimental, me-centered perspective that is based on relative, roller-coaster ride of self-sustained religion 'truth'. In other words, I like to encourage others to press on in His truth and His love for His glory.

But then, everything I have written has likely been said a whole lot better by someone else. I definitely have no insight that is deeper than what God has already revealed. Therefore, if you find anything of value here than give God the glory!

Click: What is it? and 5 solas / 5Points

"Lisa at Deo Volente is another blogger that I'd love to meet with and share some coffee. She's been through some rough circumstances in her life, and she's come through them clearly showing the grace of God, and honouring Him through those circumstances. Her various posts are sometimes funny, often really make you think, and always theologically sound."-Jen at JoythruChrist

Lisa is passionate about her reformed faith and her posts reflect how her faith is practically applied to situations in her life. Very difficult ones, from time to time...Ukrainiac

"Lisa's site has become one of my new favorites to read and to participate. I think she brings a nice touch to the application of theology to everday life as a woman and as a mother. It's sort of like Secret— strong enough for a man, but made for a woman." -Young Wilderness Voice

"Praise the Lord! I have finally found the sold-out, brainy Christian women bloggers, and from what I can tell so far, most of them are Reformed to boot! I knew they had to be out there somewhere. It was just a matter of time. I was directed to Lisa’s blog this morning ...which led to Carla’s blog ... and these are leading me to many others." -Katy at Logoscentric

"4Given's blog. The reformed mother of 6. She rips." by The Armchair Theologian

"This girl got it!" by no fluff required

"I find your blog very encouraging, and uplifting. You are an inspiration to me, and the Lord is using you to encourage me." by Lynn

The above links have some excellent resources and information. However, I do not endorse everything on these sites and prayerfully request that if you click on these links, you will do so keeping this in mind.

My blog is worth $379,370.88.
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Not Because Dad and Mom say It's Time (Updated)

Let me begin with highly recommending a book called Your Child's Profession of Faith by our dear friend, Dennis Gundersen.

Gundersen's unique treatment of a rarely-addressed subject can make the difference between parents who participate in their children's deception and presumption, or parents who truly guide him to eternal life. If a small child tells us he thinks he's saved, do we take his words at face value? How do we test his profession, especially without seeming to doubt the child and discourage him? Many have found this book the most useful guide ever written on the topic.

I originally wrote this to be a comment on a blog HERE, but it became too long. Go read her testimony at THIS link so you will understand a bit of why I decided to publish my comment to her at my blog... plus she has a beautiful testimony.

Even though our older 2 boys, now 12 and 13, became Christians at age 5 and 6, we chose to wait to have them baptized. We also have chosen to have them wait to take communion. Not as a discouragement, but as an opportunity to teach them how important these things are. Now that they are older we are encouraging them to take the steps to get baptized if they truly believe that their young profession was genuine. This is not something we are forcing them to do because we do believe this must be a conviction of the Holy Spirit in them and not because dad and mom say it is time.

I have a testimony that includes a false profession and what I call a roller coaster ride of self-sustained religion. I said a repeat after me prayer as a teen, got baptized and even though there were outward changes, there were no inward changes at all. When the Lord drew me to Himself at an older age as He chose to use the simple, steadfast testimony of my husband through a very tumultuous trial, I had the personal conviction that I should be baptized again. I shared this with my husband and pastor and they agreed with me. My original public profession was obviously false and it was important to me that I obey the Lord out of love for Him and make a public profession that demonstrated that I was off that roller coaster ride and, by the abundant mercy and grace of God, on the steady road of true saving faith. At that time, we were attending a church in Tulsa pastored by Dennis Gundersen (Grace and Truth Books)

It is important to our family not to enable a false assurance in our children.

Have they carefully weighed the cost of following Christ?
Have they manifested evidence of genuine salvation?

Though we have seen evidence of Christ in these older boys, as well as in one of their sisters who is now 6, the day they prayerfully make the decision to be baptized is the day they will take their first communion. That is our preference because we feel, even though they have professed to know God with their lips and there is evidence in their life, they must first take the steps to be baptized (a public profession of repentance and faith) before they partake of the seriousness of the Lord's Supper wherein they have a faith that confesses, discerns, remembers, and proclaims the body of Christ while partaking. All of these things boil down to obedience and submission to God's command out of love for the one who mercifully and willingly not only sacrificed His life but rose again.

HERE are some interesting articles on baptism.
and
HERE are some interesting articles on the Lord's Supper.

Posted by Lisa on April 04, 2007

Comments

You have a great point especailly on the Lord's Supper. God tells us how serious it is to take it and we should help our children understand and wait til they are ready.

Posted by: Jill | April 4, 2007 10:08 AM

Thanks for the wonderful post!I agree wholeheartedly! We have this approach with our children as well! Sometimes, I think my true faith happened when I began a more in depth study of God's Word as an adult...it may have been that God began the work in me as an 11 year old. That is where I get confused.

Your post was very helpful.

If you would like to email me sometime,I'd love to tell you about our church and visit with you! We also homeschool. So,I'd love to visit with you sometime! Esp since we are both from the same area....kinda.
Kim

Posted by: Kim | April 4, 2007 11:13 AM

Thank you so much for sharing this and the book recommendation. I would very much like to read that book, so I'm going to try to get a copy. I commented on Kim's post, so won't go into much here, but I agree so much with you about waiting for the Lord to lead our children. My oldest son, 8 now, prayed to receive Christ at 6, but we are letting the Lord lead him on when to be baptised. We want it to be because he is committed to Christ and the Holy Spirit is leading him, not because we want him to be committed to Christ and have pressured him or assumed a true commitment before he truly understands. I wish my church had not allowed me to be baptised so young because it has led to some confusion for me. Thanks for sharing this, and I'm sorry to be so long-winded in your comments.

Posted by: Rebekah | April 4, 2007 01:23 PM

Lisa, in my opinion Dennis' book doesn't get near the exposure it should!! We bought a copy LONG before we became parents--so refreshing to see someone tackle this matter.

You know I agree with you on this, but even more so in the context of kids raised in a truly Christian home! Some children of Xian parents spend years enjoying God's blessings and the fruit of their parents labors, only to discover that they have ignored or neglected their own spiritual condition--so easy to "go with the flow".

There was such a HUGE change in our oldest daughter when the Lord began to soften her once cold and hard heart--there was no mistaking Who was at work! Had she been with us from birth, I doubt the transformation would have been nearly so dramatic--but of course I can't say for sure! On the other hand, our youngest has learned all the "right" answers and correct responses in a relatively short time--we are proceeding cautiously and continue to keep the gospel before her.

I lived for 10 years with my own false profession--it's shocking how much I didn't care during that time, but still laid "claim" to something I did not possess.

Appreciate your post on this!

Posted by: connie | April 5, 2007 12:03 AM

Ministry Opportunities

"I will feed My flock and I will lead them to rest," declares the Lord GOD. "I will seek the lost, bring back the scattered, bind up the broken and strengthen the sick..." Ezekiel 34:15-16

Psalm 127

"My Husband, My Hero of Faith"

Just a pilgrim on a journey...

"I will lift mine eyes unto the hills; from whence cometh my help? My help cometh from the Lord who made heaven and earth..." Psalm 121

Below is a video testimony about how God saved our marriage after an 18 month separation, 5 years into our marriage. We had 2 children when we separated. We now have 6 children and have been married for... well, OH so much longer!!!... by the grace of our faithful Heavenly Father.