Breezy & Rebekah at the Father & Daughter Retreat
April 12, 2010
My dear sister, Breezy.
Our sweet friend, Rebekah.
On Saturday during the Father and Daughter Retreat, our family went on a walk with Rebekah and her father. The scenery was beautiful, with flowers blooming along the path and greenery covering the ground and trees (something that we had yet to see in Indiana this year). We stopped to take a few portraits, and above are a couple of them.
P.S. Breezy is wearing a dress that she made specially to wear at High Tea. You can see more pictures and read about her dress here!
Notes from the Father & Daughter Retreat – Part Two
April 10, 2010
Below are brief summaries of a few of the sessions during the 2010 Father & Daughter Retreat put on by Vision Forum and held at the Callaway Gardens in Georgia. Click here to read Part One of my notes.
I hope that they are as much of an encouragement to you as they have been to me!
(Please note that these are not necessarily direct quotations,
but rather short summaries of what I wrote down while listening to the talks.)
Whose Daughter Are You? Examining Our Affections and Identity by Anna Sofia and Elizabeth Botkin
Are you God’s daughter or your own daughter? Are you pretending to be God’s daughter? You can do the right things, act the right things, and think the right things all the way to hell. You must have a true relationship with Christ.
Let go of everything that you want, and desire the things of the Lord. Identity is a matter of the heart, not appearance! What fruit are you bearing? (Matthew 7:16-18) What is your attitude towards God? Do you have fear of other things rather than a fear of the Lord? (Psalm 73:25-28)
Who are you going to be? Embrace the place where God has placed you and study to be prepared and ready for the battlefield. Actively place your love in the right place! (Proverbs 6:20-23)
A Twenty-First-Century Vision of Biblical Womanhood by Doug Phillips
We all have a religion – we either worship God or we worship man. Culture is religion externalized. The things we see in the culture (Hannah Montana, MTV, etc.) are all an expression of religion.
Cultivate a passion for defending the culture of life in the midst of a culture of death.
When you carry yourself like a lady with true femininity and grace, men treat you differently. When you act like a lady from your heart, others see that beauty and many times other women will desire to follow. Ask yourself, “How can I be a daughter in my father’s house and fully fulfill my God-given task as a submissive daughter?”
Model the virtues of femininity and womanhood in a world of androgyny. Be a truly beautiful woman, one that is characterized by strength, grace, love, faith, hope, joy, and femininity in the Lord Jesus Christ.
Ministry is serving God in the domain He has placed you. Seven Biblical Missions of the Christian Home: Worship, Industry, Education, Evangelism, Hospitality, Culture, & Care.
Be joyful, serving, and obedient! Love your daughterhood, embrace it, rejoice in it!
Picnic at the Father & Daughter Retreat
April 9, 2010
On Friday evening during the Father & Daughter Retreat the warm sun was shining while fathers and daughters ate a picnic dinner (of hamburgers, hot dogs, coleslaw, etc.) atop blankets spread out on the grand lawn.
Notes from the Father & Daughter Retreat – Part One
April 8, 2010
The speeches were most certainly a highlight for my father, sister and I. The Lord has used the speakers mightily in our walks with Him, and it is always such a blessing to hear them speak such wonderful words of wisdom from the Word of God.
Below are brief summaries of a couple of the sessions during the 2010 Father & Daughter Retreat put on by Vision Forum and held at the Callaway Gardens in Georgia.
I hope that they are as much of an encouragement to you as they have been to me!
(Please note that these are not necessarily direct quotations,
but rather short summaries of what I wrote down while listening to the talks.)
What It Means for a Daughter to Have a Father by Doug Phillips
Fathers are God-given and God-appointed. Fathers are wonderful gifts that the Lord has given and they help us to understand our relationship with our Heavenly Father.
There are many orphans who spend their days yearning, praying, and hoping for a father, and yet the world is telling daughters who have fathers to run from their fathers in independence.
Those girls without daddys would give everything to enjoy just a moment of the pleasure we take granted every day: the blessing of having a father who provides, protects, guides, and cares for us. Be thankful for the father that you have and pray for those dear girls who do not have daddys.
Proverbs 31 and the Daughter of the King by Scott Brown
The Proverbs 31 woman is a treasure, a strong, virtuous woman. She is very difficult to find – her rarity shows her value and that she is not a “cheap” girl. The Bible puts enormous emphasis on women and Proverbs 31 is no exception! A virtuous woman is priceless and we have a wonderful purpose!
She is Christ-centered above all, and through that she focuses her time and energy in her God-given role towards her husband, children and the home.
All the things in Proverbs 31 are fruits of the fear of the Lord. Be willing to take every bit of chastisement that will come, because His ways are pleasant ways. Do not falter. Do everything in Him, through Him, and for Him. What a wonderful life to be called to!
More notes coming . . . don’t miss them!
The 2010 Vision Forum Father & Daughter Retreat
April 5, 2010
My dear daddy, Breezy, and I at the Father & Daughter Retreat
(Photo by my dear mother.)
Last weekend we attended Vision Forum’s Father & Daughter Retreat, which was held at Callaway Gardens in Pine Mountain, Georgia.
The event lasted from Friday afternoon until Sunday afternoon, and it was a wonderful experience! During the weekend there was:
Father & Daughter Unity Games – Unity games were held on the Grand Lawn. Each game had a purpose: in croquet the daughter played and the father corrected when needed, the three-legged race helped fathers and daughters practice working together, and for the obstacle course the daughters were blindfolded and had to follow their fathers voice, testing how well they listened to their father.
Picnic on the Grand Lawn – The sun was shining on the grand lawn, with a cool breeze flowing by while fathers and daughters ate a picnic dinner (of hamburgers, hot dogs, coleslaw, etc.) atop blankets spread out on the ground.
Speeches of Great Encouragement – The speakers included Mr. Botkin and his two daughters, Anna Sofia and Elizabeth Botkin, Doug Phillips, and Scott Brown. Topics ranged from What it Means for a Daughter to Have a Father to Proverbs 31 and the Daughter of the King. Each and every session was edifying and we left with a bountiful amount of biblical instruction and encouragement!
High Tea – At noon on Saturday was High Tea. This was a time for daughters and their fathers to enjoy having an elegant tea together while getting to know other fathers and daughters. Included during the tea were many delicious and sweet treats to enjoy! (And my dear mother was one of the wonderful, sweet ladies who helped to set up the lovely tea!)
Fellowship with Like-Minded Believers – How sweet the fellowship is between those in the body of Christ! We all gathered each of us sharing something very special in common: daughters having fathers and fathers having daughters. It was precious to see fathers turning their hearts to their daughters, and daughters hearts to their fathers!
The entire weekend was such a blessing and I can wholeheartedly say that the nearly dozen hour trip was worth it! If any of you have the opportunity to go, I encourage you to eagerly take up the opportunity – I guarantee that it will be a great blessing and a life-changing event . . . and it is worth every sacrifice that you would make to attend!
Over the next few days I will be posting notes from the talks and a few pictures of the delightful trip! Stay tuned!
Passion and Preparation
March 8, 2010
The Lord brought these verses at a most timely moment:
“Keep your life free from love of money, and be content with what you have, for He has said, ‘I will never leave you nor forsake you.’ So we can confidently say, ‘The Lord is my helper; I will not fear; what can man do to me?’” —Hebrews 13:5-6
Daddy read aloud Hebrews 13 during family worship, and it was a wonderful reminder that God gives us exactly what we need at the exact time we’re in need of it! (Proverbs 15:23.)
Before this was read, we had been discussing the future – including marriage and children and the generations to come. Breezy and I are eagerly looking forward to having families of our own and implementing into the lives of our children the many wonderful things our parents have taught us.
Yet, in the Lord’s good timing, He has not given us our families yet. We must wait patiently on God, and serve Him in where He has placed us.
We are passionate about the future, but are we passionate about today?
It is easy to look at the future and imagine how wonderful it will be, because “the grass is always greener on the other side,” right? Right?
We may imagine that it is so, but that doesn’t make it true.
We know not what the Lord’s plan is, but we do know that “God causes all things to work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose” (Romans 8:28) and that “He will never forsake [us]” (Hebrews 13:5).
The future is the future for a reason – it is not today.
Let us be content in today. Content in where the Lord has placed us. Content in what the Lord has blessed us with. As Corrie Ten Boom said, “Every experience God gives us, every person he puts in our lives, is the perfect preparation for the future that only He can see.”
Today we can prepare for the future and become better equipped for the Lord’s will. Right now we can be living each and every day for the glory of God and faithfully serve Him where He has placed us and with what He has blessed us with.
“Everyone to whom much was given, of him much will be required, and from him to whom they entrusted much, they will demand the more.” —Luke 12:48b
Let us be passionate about today, glorify our Savior in devoting every minute to obeying Him, building His Kingdom and preparing for His will in His timing!
At the Edge of the Field
January 18, 2010
There was a crisp breeze and it was very cold outside, but we decided it was time for a photo shoot. There was a heavy fog, creating the field to fade into gray skies. Thanks goes to my dearest sister who was a wonderful model for these shots!
A Farewell & A Welcome: The beginning of 2010 . . .
January 1, 2010
It does seem odd that 2009 is now finished, having just completed it’s course in our time zone. This past year has been one that I shall never forget! It has been one filled with surprises, joyous fellowship, unimaginable projects, and the love of my Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.
This year has had its ups and downs, but looking back I can see how the Lord uses even the little things to prepare His people for what He has in store for them – whether they are around the corner or on the other side of a steep and treacherous hill.
“And we know that God causes all things to work together for good to those who love God, and are called according to His purpose.” —Romans 8:28
We began 2009 with many plans and goals. Some we accomplished, some have been postponed, and some may never be even started. But God is faithful, and has blessed us with far more than we could have ever planned, expected, or anticipated! What a comfort to remember that,
“The mind of man plans his way, but the Lord directs his steps.” —Proverbs 16:9
We have been able to look back and see our Creator’s mighty hand working things according to His perfect plan and purpose. We can delight in the Lord in both joyous times and sorrowful times because we know that He is sovereign and in control. We must trust in Him with all of our heart,
“Trust in the Lord with all your heart and do not lean on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge Him, and He will make your paths straight.” —Proverbs 3:5-6
With thankfulness and joy I say farewell to 2009 . . . not because things were unpleasant, but because I am ready to find out (in His timing) what God has in store for the future!
Saying goodbye to this past year does not mean that it shall not be spoken of again, as I am sure that this will be a year spoken of for many decades to come, but that we are saying hello to a new year!
As we enter the year of our Lord 2010, may we be drawn ever closer to the Lord Jesus Christ, and be found faithful to what He has called us to do!
While living the life my Lord has blessed me with, I am at home with my family enjoying being a daughter, homemaker and artist. My highest goal is to give glory to God and enjoy Him forever. It is He that has saved me with His amazing grace and is continually molding me; to Him I owe everything. Read more . . .
