Grace Notes

Family News/Miscellaneous/Witnessing Stories

Eclectic Reports

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This past month has been a busy time for us, as I’m sure it has been for most of you!

IMG_3094 Our Christmas began right after Thanksgiving when we took our friend Manish (from Nepal) with us to cut down a tree … which led to an interesting discussion on the way home about the tree of life in the Garden of Eden and what that means. =) Manish was a student at a local college and has become a good friend of our family. Even though he lives in another town now, he’s able to visit often.

IMG_3223 We had an encouraging time Christmas caroling with our Bright Lights group, and this lady told us that our caroling made her whole Christmas season! She said she used to carol as a girl, but she didn’t know anyone did it anymore. Praise the Lord for how He directs to the right houses.

IMG_3435 My mom arranged a little Christmas celebration with Joan, our friend in a nearby nursing home.

IMG_3471 Often when you have an opportunity to talk with someone about the Lord, others are also listening! After my dad read the Christmas account to Joan, we began talking to the lady in the other bed whose name was Jill. She hadn’t heard the story very well, but wanted to. We explained that the main point was that God sent His Son, Jesus, to come to be our Savior! Sarah then went back a few days later to talk to Jill more. She read the Christmas story to her again, and they had a nice talk.

IMG_3505 On Christmas Eve, several international friends joined us along with my grandpa and a few from our church. The paper crosses on our Christmas tree provided an opportunity to explain to our guests the purpose behind them: it’s something that many believers are doing this year to remember to pray for the persecuted church. This led into a good discussion about persecution, and I was reminded of the value of having “objects” in our homes which can be used as springboards into conversations.

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IMG_3550 We all thought Grandpa looked great in his new hat!

IMG_3567 Brad and Lindsay Sturm and their six adorable children joined us (along with Christa and Nickie) for dinner after church a week ago Sunday. It was such an encouragement to hear of the church they started in Mexico which is now filled with young, growing believers … the harvest truly is plentiful but the laborers are few! Brad also preached the sermon for our church.

I love it when people take a portion of Scripture and present a perspective I hadn’t seen before. Brad did this with the story of the father of the demon possessed boy in Mark 9:14-29. I was really blessed by it and have listened to it twice.

IMG_3593 A family from Mexico (friends of some of our friends there) were visiting Cedar Rapids to stay with some friends of theirs here. These friends of theirs in Cedar Rapids are also friends of ours (haha, this is sounding confusing!) Okay, let me start over. Due to a complicated connection of mutual friends in both Mexico and Iowa, we were invited to dinner to meet this special family. As we got acquainted, we learned that they are part of a Bright Lights group in Mexico! It was so encouraging to hear how they’d been praying for something for the girls in their church and then they found the Bright Lights curriculum. At the same time they read Will Our Generation Speak? in Spanish, not knowing the origin of the book, but shared how God was using it in their lives. We had a wonderful evening of fellowship. Praise the Lord for how He arranges circumstances to meet the needs of His children.

Thoughts

What Are You Thinking About?

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We remember the things that we think about a lot. Thoughts and events that are often reviewed stick in our memory. Meditating on our own mistakes or achievements usually makes us either discouraged or too self-confident. But look at what the Psalmists say they were thinking about:

“On the glorious splendor of Your majesty and on Your wonderful works, I will meditate.” Psalm 145:5

“I shall remember the deeds of the Lord; surely I will remember Your wonders of old. I will meditate on all Your work and muse on Your deeds.” Psalm 77:11-12

“… I meditate on all Your doings; I muse on the work of Your hands. I stretch out my hands to You …” Psalm 143:5-6

These verses were an encouragement to me today. As we reflect on another year gone by, let’s follow their example and contemplate the ways we saw God work last year: Answered prayers. People we saw changed by His power. Special encouragement that the Lord gave us in needed times. God’s direction of our paths. People He used in our lives. And, of course, all that God has done in history before 2014. [smile] (2 Peter 1:9!)

Our thoughts directly affect our emotions and actions, so it is vitally important we think about what Scripture tells us to think about! (Also see Deuteronomy 11:18, Josh 1:8, Psalm 1:2, 119:97 Philippians 4:8, 1 Timothy 4:15.)

Noah's Archive Bookstore

The Return of the Dinosaur

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IMG_3216 We are so happy to have “our” dinosaur back, on loan from the Creation Museum! The Estemmenosuchus (which we affectionately named Esty) is a wonderful object lesson and conversation starter! Esty returned in time to be a delightful addition for the Peppermint walk. Hopefully he enjoyed all the attention he got, lol.

We overheard one boy asked his mom, “Did they shoot him?” =)

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We have several small signs in front of Esty, teaching what the Bible says about dinosaurs. One of them explains,

“In the last several years a number of dinosaur bones have been found with actual blood cells and soft tissue still within them. It is a puzzle to evolutionary scientists how soft tissue could remain in bones for 70 million years but it is not a puzzle for the creation model…”

IMG_3161 The Peppermint walk is something that downtown Marion organizes for families one night in Christmas. It’s a very festive time.

IMG_3141 This year we rolled up lots of scrolls of the Christmas Story (the account told from various places in Scripture) and passed them out to the long lines in the town square. The families were very appreciative.

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IMG_3177 Lots of families also came into our store. It’s a nice spacious place for them to warm up.

IMG_3183 We are very grateful for the Martin family’s DVDs on God’s incredible creation, which we keep playing throughout the evening.

IMG_3185 Peppermint white hot chocolate, cookies, and various Christmas gospel tracts / pamphlets.

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“Because of the tender mercy of our God, With which the Sunrise from on high will visit us, to shine upon those who sit in darkness and the shadow of death, To guide our feet into the way of peace.” Luke 1:78-79

Noah's Archive Bookstore

Dad’s Speaking Ornaments

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IMG_3371 My dad had an idea of how we could make better use of the large windows on our bookstore this Christmas season.

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IMG_3128 He came up with a plan and then recruited some help from Hannah and Shelby who help frequently at the Bright Lights office

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IMG_3369 Dad wanted to communicate concepts to make people think!

IMG_3374 Some friends from church let us use their large Nativity set

IMG_3382 Since there is a stoplight at the corner, often cars are slowing down or stopping as they pass our store, giving them more opportunity to see the ornaments. We also have a lot of people who walk by.

“Blessed be the Lord God of Israel, for he has visited and redeemed his people” Luke 1:68

Witnessing Stories

“Don’t Delude Yourself,” he told me

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While at Menards last week, I saw an older gentlemen walk by leisurely with his cart. I gave him a Christmas tract. He seemed appreciative and I noticed he started reading it right away.

Twenty or thirty minutes later, I saw him again near the front of the store. I smiled and made eye contact, hoping he might comment on the tract.

“Hey, where did you get that little booklet?” he asked me.
Yay! Just what I was hoping for!
I explained that I ordered it online, and that I think it’s important for people to remember the basics of what Christmas is about, and what the Bible has to say about it.
“Well, good for you,” he said.

“So do you have a spiritual background?” I asked him.
He said that he went to the Eastern Orthodox church in town.
“What about you? Do you have a spiritual background?” he asked me.
Yay!
I shared a brief version of my testimony… that when I was six I realized for the first time that “even though I was in a Christian family, that didn’t make me a Christian, and I had to trust Jesus to save me… I wanted to go to Heaven and not to Hell…”

“Well, you have to do a lot of bad stuff to go down there!” he exclaimed.

I referenced a few of the Ten Commandments, commenting on the very high standard it is, and told him that just one sin disqualifies us from God’s presence.

But when I explained the gospel, he replied, “Now don’t delude yourself…”

Hmmm. I wonder what he disagreed with? I thought. I had said that I was trusting in Jesus’ death alone and His gift of righteousness to get to Heaven and not my own good works.

Apparently, his view was that everyone was going to Heaven unless you do something “bad enough” to send you to Hell. So we talked for about thirty minutes in the aisle there about God’s justice, Romans 2, the gospel, and why Jesus came. It was a very nice conversation and he told me his name, telling me to call him if I wanted to talk more.

Since my conversation with him, I’ve been thinking about Matthew 7:13-14. “Enter by the narrow gate; for wide is the gate and broad is the way that leads to destruction, and there are many who go in by it. Because narrow is the gate and difficult is the way which leads to life, and there are few who find it.”

Most people on the broad road think they are headed for Heaven, but if they would listen to God’s Word, they would realize that they are not. Most are also open to talking about it. “Therefore beseech the Lord of the harvest to send out workers into His harvest.” Matthew 9:38

Family News

Birthday Gift from Stephen

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We celebrated my birthday a few nights ago. A friend commented, “Only a month late? You guys are doing great!” We’re not always real punctual with birthday celebrations around here. =)

Stephen gave me a gift that is already proving to be a big help for the study guide I’m trying to write: noise cancelling headphones! I think my grandpa thought it was very amusing that he had to actually tap on my head yesterday morning to get my attention, lol. Basically all of the technical items in my life have come from Stephen—he has a way of giving me things that I then use ALL the time, and I’m pretty sure these will be no exception!

Birthdays remind me of God’s grace. I began thinking you know, I really don’t get any credit for being born… yet ‘just because it’s my birthday’ I get all this extra love from family and friends. We have done nothing to earn God’s grace and favor — in fact, we’ve done the opposite and earned His punishment. Yet, God is a giver GRACE and we will forever be awed by that.

A few years back I read this journal entry by David Brainerd on his 24th birthday. It certainly wasn’t an “all about him” birthday! The best times are when it’s all about Christ. “This day I am twenty-four years of age … This has been a sweet, happy day to me: blessed be God. I think my soul was never so drawn out in intercession for others. Had a wrestle with the Lord tonight for my enemies, and I hardly ever so longed to live for God; I wanted to wear out my life in His service, and for His glory.” -David Brainerd’s Journal, April 20, 1743

“But God, being rich in mercy, because of His great love with which He loved us, even when we were dead in our transgressions, made us alive together with Christ (by grace you have been saved)” Ephesians 2:4

Christmas Ministry Ideas/Miscellaneous/Witnessing Stories

Get GOOD Christmas Tracts!

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Some gospel tracts are boring and dry. I don’t even feel like reading them, so why would an unbeliever? The gospel is the most exciting news in the world, and I think it should be shared with enthusiasm and creativity! So when I ran across these fun and tastefully written Christmas tracts, I quickly ordered a bunch for our store. I appreciate their engaging style and their approach of teaching the foundational concepts of the gospel (something our Biblically-illiterate generation really needs!). You can read/purchase them online here if you’d like.

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Christmas provides a very natural opportunity to witness to your dentist, doctor, neighbors, music teachers, local fire station, etc….. We can simply make an “appreciation plate” of cookies, add a Christmasy message (tract) to the top, and drop it off with a warm greeting. I don’t know about you, but this is a great solution for me in reaching people that I want to witness to more than I have.

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Some other recommended Christmas resources:

–The Christmas Story from the Bible Scroll is something my mom especially enjoys giving people at the store. She was just telling me the other day how people receive it very well – it seems special to them. (You can print them off yourself – follow the link to see English and Spanish version.) You can also order them glossy and color from our online store here. We sell them in NASB or KJV in a variety of quantities.

–“Uncovering the Real Nativity,” is a booklet from Answers in Genesis that I really enjoy giving. I usually share a quick summary of what it’s about to spark their curiosity. (Read it here if you’d like.)

–“What are Christmas and Easter All About?” teaches the gospel with very clear and simple language and is illustrated beautifully.

–“The Greatest News Ever Told…” is just Scripture–all the way through. When I pass it out, I like to explain, “It’s a big string of Bible verses!” and I have found people to receive it gratefully and with interest.

Who knows? This could be the last Christmas season before Jesus comes back. Let’s give Him ALL our love and energy and pour our efforts into what is on HIS heart–lost souls for whom He died.

” … and you will testify also, because you have been with Me … ” (John 15:27)

Announcements/Christmas Ministry Ideas/Miscellaneous

Christmas Dinnertime Challenge!

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http://www.dreamstime.com/stock-photography-blank-christmas-photo-frames-fir-tree-gingerbread-cookies-image34843582

For those who don’t get our family’s e-newsletter, here’s this month’s article!

Dinnertime is an important time for families! Here is a list of 25 items to talk about during family dinnertime discussions this month. There is one for each day, starting today (December 1st) and concluding on Christmas Day. These questions are designed to be done when the whole family is together.

If your family completes this challenge, email us after Christmas, and we will send you a free copy of your choice of either Making Brothers and Sisters Best Friends, Before You Meet Prince Charming, or Will Our Generation Speak? 🙂 (If you start a day or two late, that’s fine, as long as you complete all 25. Also, the time of day is flexible. The “deeper” questions are optional.)

1) What is your favorite Christmas carol and why?
Deeper: Which Christmas carols best explain the gospel?

2) Christmas is much more than a birthday—it is a coming! What is the difference between a “birthday” and a “coming”? Why is it important to make this clear?
Deeper: What could be some of the negative effects of referring to Christmas as a birthday?

3) When we wish people a “Merry Christmas,” what are we actually wishing them? Make a list of 10 things to help families have a true merry Christmas. (After making a list, see some ideas at the end of this email.)
Deeper: What is the difference between what the world thinks is a “ Merry Christmas” and a true “Merry Christmas”?

4) What is your first Christmas memory? What is your best Christmas memory?
Deeper: What is something that God taught you at Christmastime in the past?

5) What is your favorite Christmas tradition in our family? Can you think of any new traditions we could start this year that would help us to focus even more on Christ?

6) What does the word “Incarnation” mean and why is it so important? (John 1:14) How would we explain the Incarnation to someone who had never heard?
Deeper: Here is a suggested project. Print out the Christmas account from Matthew and Luke (download here). Ask people if they have read the Christmas account in the Bible yet this year, and ask them if they would like a copy. See how many you can give away as a family this month.

7) In what way is a Christmas card similar to an angel? Is there someone in particular who would be blessed by a surprise Christmas card from us this year?
Deeper: Why do you think God used a star in Matthew (Matthew 2:1-2, 9-10) and an angel in Luke (Luke 2:8-15) to announce the birth of Christ?

8) Why did Jesus have to be born as a baby? Why couldn’t He have come as a grown man?

9) Who is a person or family in need that we could reach out to this Christmas season? What could we do for them?
Deeper: How did the shepherd’s respond to the angel’s message? How can we imitate them today?

10) How do people in the world today demonstrate the same attitude as King Herod? How do people respond like the wise men?
Deeper: What wicked Old Testament King played an important role in the Christmas story (Isaiah 7-9)? Why did God offer what He did?

11) Read Luke 2:19. What do you think were some of the things Mary was pondering in her heart?
Deeper: In Jesus’ own words, why did He say He came? What verses can you find?

12) Read the story of Anna (Luke 2:36-38). What can we learn from her example?
Deeper: Why did Jesus come when He did? Why didn’t He come earlier or later in history?

13) What is your favorite Christmas gift you ever gave? What are some good aspects of giving Christmas presents? What can be some negative aspects of it?
Deeper: Can you think of any times in Scripture when the Israelites sent presents to each other? (See answers at the bottom of this email.)

14) What are the ways that Jesus’ birth was specifically humble?
Deeper: How are Jesus’ first and second coming different?

15) What Christmas ministry has our family been involved in over the years? How have we seen God work?
Deeper: Why is it better to give than to receive (Acts 20:35)? What is an example of a time we saw this concept to be true in our family?

16) How can each one of us be like the star? What was the star’s purpose? How can we fulfill that same purpose?
Deeper: What did the star in the Christmas account ultimately represent? (Numbers 24:17, Revelation 2:28, 22:16)

17) What does the name “Emmanuel” mean and why is it important?
Deeper: When was the last time in Israel’s history that there was a command to kill baby boys? Can you think of any other similarities between these two times in history?

18) Read and discuss Micah 5:2. What does the word Bethlehem mean?
Deeper: Why do you think God arranged for Jesus to be born in that particular town and a town with that name?

19) What is the first Christmas verse in the Bible? (See answer at the bottom of this email.)
Deeper: Which of the patriarchs (Abraham, Isaac, or Jacob) prophesied the coming of Christ? (See answer at the bottom of this email.)

20) What are some ideas of things we could do for our neighbors this Christmas?

21) Why is Jesus the Prince of Peace?
Deeper: How many names can you think of for Jesus and what do they mean? What do the names of Christ listed in Isaiah 9:6 tell us about some of the roles He fills?

22) What is a fun family memory from Christmas?
Deeper: How do we know that the angels and the wise men did not come at the same time? (There are at least 2 reasons.) Was the star in the east or the west?

23) How many different people are mentioned in the accounts of the Christmas story in Matthew 1-2 and Luke 1-2? Name them all. Pick one person and share something that we can learn from them.
Deeper: What prophecies can you think of that were fulfilled at Jesus’ birth? (Genesis 3:15, Genesis 49:10, Numbers 24:17, Isaiah 7:14, 9:6, Micah 5:2)

24) Why did God name the baby Jesus rather than allowing Joseph to choose a name for Him?
Deeper: What are two reasons Joseph was told to name the child “Jesus”? (See answer at the bottom of this email.)

25) Without looking, what were the “good tidings of great joy”?
Deeper: Why was Jesus’ birth “glory to God in the highest”?

Also, we will be tweeting the daily question(s) from @BrightLightsMin and @TFInc.

I love how Malachi 3:16-17 reminds us that the Lord is listening to our conversations!

“Then those who feared the Lord spoke to one another, And the Lord listened and heard them; So a book of remembrance was written before Him for those who fear the Lord and who meditate on His name.
‘They shall be Mine,’ says the Lord of hosts, ‘On the day that I make them My jewels. And I will spare them as a man spares his own son who serves him.’” Malachi 3:16-17

Answers:
Question 3: Honor Christ, Read Scripture, Make Christmas “merry” for someone else, Sing carols, Witness, Give generously, Be excited about the coming of Christ!
Question 13: Esther 9:22, Nehemiah 8
Question 19: Genesis 3:15, Genesis 49:10
Question 24: 1) It means salvation and Jesus would save His people from their sins. 2) It is the same name as Joshua who delivered the people and brought them into the Promised Land.

England/Videos/Witnessing Stories

Sharing the Gospel at the Mayflower Steps

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20140812_070730_29275 We had the privilege in August to go to the location where the Pilgrims boarded the Mayflower in Plymouth, England.

20140812_070724_29274 It was an interesting feeling to be there and think about what must have been going through the Pilgrims minds when they took off.

20140812_101705_29313 This was the last phrase of a plaque put up as a memorial to the Pilgrims overlooking the steps.

While we were there, we decided to see if we could get into a few conversations with people about the gospel. We knew we a great starting place – we could ask them about their perspective on the Pilgrims!

Both of the encounters on the video below ended up being great conversations (most of which happened after we turned off the camera!) I thought I’d put a few bits and pieces from the conversations here for Thanksgiving! I’m sorry it’s a little choppy and windy!

https://vimeo.com/112943779

I received an e-mail from this man later, saying he enjoyed the conversation. Please join me in praying that the Lord raises up laborers unto the [very needy] harvest in England. I believe many are interested in conversing about the true message of the Bible, and very few are sharing it.