Crunchy Christian Mamas in 2012

[Nazsmum]

He has removed our sins from us as far as the East is from the West. PS 103:12

This is a good place to start the year. With the Grace that only comes from the Lord Jesus.

May we have a place to share and support each other.

[sahmof2girls]

subbing....going to bed

[jimblejamble]

I'd like to join in if I can!
Edited by jimblejamble - 5/16/12 at 8:39pm

[Nazsmum]

JessicaRenee & sahmof2girls WELCOME.

sahmof2girls- you asked in the last thead about a family devotional. I have been looking for one too.

JessicaRenee-  Would you share your story? Did your husband come out too?

[sahmof2girls]

I found an app on my phone...lol, it leaves much to be desired

[Nazsmum]

That is funny. I love just reading a verse and talking about it. I have a personal dev that I've been reading for years. BUT family I think is hard to find.

[jimblejamble]

...
Edited by jimblejamble - 5/16/12 at 8:39pm

[lilyka]

(((hugs)))

[sahmof2girls]

JessicaRenee, That sounds like such a hard road!!!!!  I am sorry that you had/have to feel that way.  I am glad you made a choice that is making you happy!!

[sahmof2girls]

..........How do I become "born again"?

I was always a Christian, until I started questioning and looking elsewhere.  I guess I am looking for a "starting" point

[Nazsmum]

Originally Posted by sahmof2girls 

..........How do I become "born again"?

I was always a Christian, until I started questioning and looking elsewhere.  I guess I am looking for a "starting" point

The first thing I would do is get aBible that you like. Then read the Gospels. John is, I think is a good place to start.

To be "born again" is to believe in Jesus. That He is the Messiah and He did died and He did rise from the dead. So reading about Him (Jesus) is a good place to start.

Jessica-WOW! May the Lord bless you and keep you in your journey to Him.

[lilyka]

Originally Posted by sahmof2girls 

..........How do I become "born again"?

I was always a Christian, until I started questioning and looking elsewhere.  I guess I am looking for a "starting" point

Start by taking a deep breath.  The is no sure formula, no magic words, no 12 step plan.  A good first step is to face God and ask Him to reveal himself to you.  Ask Him to open your eyes and lead you.  I suggest finding a spiritual mentor (I would suggest your local parish priest) and be honest about where you are and what you are looking for.  Having a guide can be so handy. :)

[sahmof2girls]

We went to church this am for our very FIRST family going together. I recently just got saved and I am super excited to introduce my kids!!!!! We are going to mil's methodist church, not ideal for me, BUT we will be going to church.........am I suppose to be this excited??? hehehe
lChurch was FABULOUS!!!! It was just really wonderful, dp kept grabbing my hand (He was a self proclaimed atheist, who is now starting to open his eyes!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!) Then the first hymn was "This is a day of new beginnings" How very appropriate Then they played The meaning of life by Hank Nelson, and I felt like I could not have started on a better Sunday!!!! All of this worship about starting fresh with the Lord, and turning away from sin.......It just was The PERFECT sermon for dp and myself!!!!!! I am still very excited. heheheh

.............We walked to the bookstore yesterday and dp bought me a bible, and the kids some children's bibles......soooo sweet.

Sorry I am all over the place

[Nazsmum]

Originally Posted by sahmof2girls 

We went to church this am for our very FIRST family going together. I recently just got saved and I am super excited to introduce my kids!!!!! We are going to mil's methodist church, not ideal for me, BUT we will be going to church.........am I suppose to be this excited??? hehehe
lChurch was FABULOUS!!!! It was just really wonderful, dp kept grabbing my hand (He was a self proclaimed atheist, who is now starting to open his eyes!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!) Then the first hymn was "This is a day of new beginnings" How very appropriate Then they played The meaning of life by Hank Nelson, and I felt like I could not have started on a better Sunday!!!! All of this worship about starting fresh with the Lord, and turning away from sin.......It just was The PERFECT sermon for dp and myself!!!!!! I am still very excited. heheheh

.............We walked to the bookstore yesterday and dp bought me a bible, and the kids some children's bibles......soooo sweet.

Sorry I am all over the place

Great!!! The Lord knows just what we need.
 

[Nazsmum]

Just thinking about teaching our children what we believe. How do you make your faith a part of everyday?

[lilyka]

Originally Posted by Nazsmum 

Just thinking about teaching our children what we believe. How do you make your faith a part of everyday?

We pray as a family daily.

We keep the fasts and feasts of the church together.  As we fast we talk about the feast that is coming, preparing ourselves and educating ourselves.  

We observe smaller feasts for saints as well.  This is a good time to reflect on church history and our forefathers and mothers.  

we go to church.  not just on Sundays but mid week and special services too.

[jimblejamble]

I'm still church-hopping but I always keep Jude with me during the worship service instead of immediately sending him to nursery, so he gets used to sitting still during that time, and hearing people read from the Bible and sing hymns. We say family prayer and prayer over our meals at home so he knows how to fold his hands together. Usually it's a quick prayer with words he understands, like "Dear Jesus, thank you so much for this food. Please make it healthy and yummy. Amen!" Anywho, during church I'll take a couple books for him to look at. Little Golden Books has a Noah's Ark book and "The Story of Jesus", so I take those so they're related. We'll look at them and I'll whisper to him, "The pastor is talking about Jesus! This is what He looked like" or "This book is about Jesus. We come to church to learn more about Jesus" and point to the picture in the book. Most of the time he's trying to run around but if I say, "Jude, they are going to pray!" he'll come sit with me and fold his hands for prayer. I also sing a lot of hymns throughout the day and when I finish one hymn I'll just chat with him about it. He's 2 so he doesn't really get it yet but I'll just say something like "That song Mommy just sang is about Jesus! Did you know that he loves Jude SO much? He loves you even more than Mama loves you!"

[Nazsmum]

lilyka- Where do you get the church history and father and mothers of the faith? Books? Book of Acts? I'm reading a lot about church history and would love to read more.

I just finshed The Untold Storyof the New Testament Church: An Extrordinary Guide to Understanding the NT by Frank Viola. He puts the NT in order the book of Acts and all the letters. I really liked reading the "history" of the church. So I would love to read more about the early church.

[lilyka]

Most of it is available on the internet (with citation of the historical documents.)  There are books, oral tradition, lives of saints, early church writings (other pastoral letters and letters to church leadership, writings from the ecumenical councils, etc... that were not canonized as scripture)  The early church was well organized, had a firm doctrine and definite leadership.  These things are well recorded.  I cannot think of any one good book, there are thousands.  Tradd would likely be able to recommend a good starting place if you were interested in reading church history.  She is way more organized in her reading than me.  I mostly read in snippets....The Prologue of Ohrid is a good place to read about Saints and such many of them from the first 1000 years of Christianity.  The Orthodox Church has a good overview of Christian history.  Its an easy read.  Up until 1045ish there was one church (which encompassed the Orthodox Church and the Roman Catholic Church) and there were heretics.  In 1045, Rome in the west officially parted from the 4 jurisdictions inthe East forming two similar churches that had several key distinctly different doctrines.  Then a few years later the protestants split off from the Catholic church and on and on and on the splitting of that branch continued.  many people like to believe they are not protestant but if they use the Bible, written to serve and canonized by the Orthodox/Catholic church, they they are indeed a splinter group from them.  All that to say....Orthodox/Catholic history IS church history so don't be scared to read things with a decidedly Orthodox or Catholic slant.

[Nazsmum]

lilyka- Thanks. I have been reading from different "places". I also took a few classes in church history. So I know about the Orthodox and Catholic slant. (NOT scared to read) I also like the Messianic books and history also. Anyway, thanks!!!!

jimblejamble- I also keep my boys in the service also long as I can. BUT right now the church that we are go to "looks down" on it. I get looks if they are out of place. SSSOOO we do end up in the nursery. I can be hard to have kids and go to church.