I love to read non-fiction books that offer practical tips and psychological and/or spiritual insights for improving my life. When I discover something of value, I want to share it with you on this blog. You can expect quality, truth, and practical application.
In this lesson, guest teacher Craig Bondy continues his overview of the book of Galatians. Arguably the earliest of Paul’s writings, this letter is filled with familiar themes including freedom in Christ and the fruits of the Spirit.
>> Click to read this week’s passages in KJV, CSB, ESV, NIV: Galatians 1 <<
Galatians ~ Overview Pt. 2
Don’t only ‘get a foot in the door!’
* Recorded: LIVE. This audio has been HEAVILY REDACTED for class member privacy, time, and content.
In this lesson, guest teacher Craig Bondy introduces us to the book of Galatians. Arguably the earliest of Paul’s writings, this letter is filled with familiar themes including freedom in Christ and the fruits of the Spirit.
>> Click to read this week’s passages in KJV, CSB, ESV, NIV: Galatians 1 <<
Galatians ~ Overview Pt. 1
Why is Paul so upset?
* Recorded: LIVE. This audio has been HEAVILY REDACTED for class member privacy, time, and content.
Finally! The opportunity to review something practical for my son! ? Scroll down for the full review. TL; DR? I love it!
Quick Preview of the Planner
The brand new Teen to Teen 2019-2020 Academic Planner from B&H Publishing Group is ideal for high school students (or any motivated, independent students) who prefer to do things their own way.
Physically, the dated planner is hardcover with thick, matte, cream-colored pages ideal for ink pens, pencils, and colored pencils (markers will bleed through, but fine-point, felt-tip markers will probably be okay). The binding is tight, but the pages are Smyth-sewn, so in time and with regular use, it will lay open flat.
This tough and durable planner is designed to last through entire academic year.
Although it includes a number of features common to all planners (e.g. personal information, weekly class schedule, and semester planner), it’s also got a number of distinguishing characteristics that set it apart from other planners.
Minimalist Planner Design
Months are laid out across two pages, and because of the minimalist design, the daily blocks are quite large with plenty of room to record appointments and due dates, draw illustrations, or decorate with stickers. There’s also a column for notes so nothing is forgotten.
Monthly Layout
The weekly layout shows the entire week (Monday – Sunday) with weekdays having twice as much space as weekends (which makes sense since this is an academic planner). Below each date, are seven check boxes and seven lines that span the width of the page. These can be used for anything: project due dates, appointments, chores, homework assignments, personal reminders. I love this, because it really allows the student to track what’s important to them to track.
Track What You Want How You Want!
Weekly Layout
Each week includes a quote from the bestselling Teen to Teen devotionals available from the same publisher. The featured devotional quotes echo the teachings of the Southern Baptist Convention (i.e., traditional values, purity culture, Biblical inerrancy, etc.).
The planner has two features that remind me a lot of my favorite Day Designer™ planner from Blue Sky®. First, there’s a place to record the top three priorities for the week—again, the type of task is not pre-defined so it can be whatever the student thinks is the most important.
Top Three Weekly Priorities & Quote from Teen to Teen Devotional
Practice Gratitude
Second, there’s a place to record three things you’re grateful for. This weekly gratitude list is an excellent tool to create or reinforce a regular practice of gratitude. Additionally, it provides material for meaningful conversations with your teenager throughout the year. All you have to do is ask, “What are you grateful for this week?”
Weekly Notes and Gratitude Practice
This is a great planner for any student who is independent, motivated, and busy! I definitely recommend it, and I can’t wait for my son to start using his. You can purchase one wherever books are sold, and if you love Amazon as much as I do, here’s a direct link for your convenience: Teen to Teen 2019-2020 Academic Planner.
Disclosure of Material Connection: I received one or more of the products or services mentioned above for free in the hope that I would mention it on my blog. Some of the links in the post above are “affiliate links.” This means if you click on the link and purchase the item, I will receive an affiliate commission. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will be good for my readers. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”
“Each of you has your own gift from God; one has this gift, another has that.” 1 Corinthians 7:7
The apostle Paul was one of the most gifted evangelists of the early church. He planted churches from Nabataea (modern-day Petra) to Rome traveling thousands and thousands of miles to share the good news. But he did more than that. Paul stayed in touch with his converts for years and provided them with encouragement and spiritual direction—some of which have been preserved to this day.
In many of his letters sent to the churches he planted in Asia Minor and/or the people he trained to lead them, Paul mentions “spiritual gifts.” Paul offers a few lists of the gifts, but none of the lists are identical. That said, there are a few characteristics they each bear in common: they are given by the Holy Spirit for the purpose of unity and edification of the church.
Today in the twenty-first century, Christians are still encouraged to discover and develop their gifts for the same purpose: unity and edification of the church. The resources on this page will help you discover your own spiritual gifts. This is only an overview, but it’s solid.
Step 1: Download the Answer Sheet
I created an answer sheet to supplement the resources already available for this Spiritual Gift Assessment. It should be used in conjunction with the video linked below. Be sure to download the free Leader’s Guidewhich includes an overview of spiritual gifts as well as brief definitions of the eleven categories explored in this assessment.
Step 2: Take the Assessment
Take this first.
Step 3: Download the Guide
This free Leader’s Guidewill provide basic information about spiritual gifts as well as basic definitions of each gift. I created the following PowerPoint to be able to share the definitions visually with my class.
Step 4: Differentiate
After taking a group through the spiritual gifts assessment, our discussion turned to whether or not spiritual gifts were actually a thing. Is a spiritual gift something a person is born with? Or is it received at baptism? Or some other time? Is it a one-time experience, or can a person receive more than one gift? At the same time or later?
Since Scripture doesn’t exactly explain the how or when spiritual gifts are given, the answer to these questions must be extrapolated from biblical passages that mention them. There are three main passages that include lists of gifts, and no two lists are the same.
1 Corinthians 12:4-11 makes it clear that the gifts are given by the Holy Spirit.
Romans 12:4-8 uses the metaphor of one body “in Christ” and explains the gifts are given according to God’s grace.
Ephesians 4:11-12 states that the gifts were given by the one who ascended (a.k.a. Jesus Christ).
Based on these passages, it is clear that there are gifts are given to those saved by grace for the purpose of unity and edification within the church. In other words, yes, spiritual gifts are legit. They are bestowed by the Holy Spirit at and/or after conversion.
Aren’t Gifts the Same as Talents?
If you’re wondering whether or not gifts are the same as talents, you’re not alone. People have been asking this question for years. The answer is no, they are not the same. Talents are innate, possibly even inherited. Spiritual gifts come post-conversion as well as later when God equips a person for a specific task.
So, now that we’ve established that spiritual gifts are legit, that they are different from natural talents, and that they are given for the unity and edifcation of the church, we need to talk about what to do with them.
Once again we will turn to the Scriptures for illumination. Gleaning what we can from a variety of passages, we can confidently act according to the following examples.
1. Develop Your Gift
Once you’ve identified your spiritual gift, it’s time to develop it. In 1 Timothy 4:14, Paul instructs his protegé Timothy not to neglect his gift, and in 2 Timothy 1:6, Paul reminds him to “fan it into flame.” ??? Clearly, Paul believes that gifts are given to be used: Developed.
“There are different kinds of gifts, but the same Spirit distributes them. There are different kinds of service, but the same Lord. There are different kinds of working, but in all of them and in everyone it is the same God at work. Now to each one the manifestation of the Spirit is given for the common good.”
1 Corinthians 12:4-7 (NIV)
Sometimes gifts are given in “seed” form, and other times, gifts build off of one’s natural talents. Whatever the case, spiritual gifts are to be developed by using them. So practice, practice, practice!
Be brave and inquire about using your gift in your local church. If your church won’t allow you to use your gift or if there are “territorial issues” that make it impossible to serve well, then pray about your next steps. You need to decide if you should stay there and look for opportunities elsewhere it to use it; if you should push harder for the opportunity; or if you should seek out another church where you would be allowed to develop your gift.
What if they say no?
Keep in mind that being denied the opportunity to use your gift is not a sign that it’s not your gift. (Been there. Done that. Got the t-shirt.) Sometimes churches focus more on tradition than what Scripture clearly teaches. And sometimes there are other people already serving in that capacity who prefer to be in control of everything. Or maybe there are hidden biases at play that make you feel unwanted in that environment.
Seek the Lord’s guidance. He gave you at least spiritual gift for His purposes, and He will open another door somewhere your gifts can be used and be appreciated.
2. Desire the “Greater” Gifts
I almost didn’t include this part, because we’re so familiar with the biblical principle of considering others better than ourselves; however, Paul clearly states that those in Corinth should “eagerly desire the greater gifts” (1 Corinthians 12:31). The purpose of desiring “greater” gifts has nothing to do with the individual and everything to do with building up the church.
Jon Bloom, co-founder of DesiringGod.org, rightly concludes that “we are to earnestly desire the spiritual gifts of 1 Corinthians 12 and 14 as a means to pursue the love Paul describes in 1 Corinthians 13.” He explores what it means to “desire” the gifts and how to partner with God in pursuing them in his article “Why We Must Earnestly Desire Spiritual Gifts.”
?For an even deeper dive into the “what” and “when” of spiritual gifts, I encourage you to listen to the After Class Podcsast (episode 2.24): Eagerly Desire the “Greater” Gifts? The podcast is hosted by three Bible and theology professors who teach at Great Lakes Christian College: Samuel C. Long, Ronald D. Peters, John C. Nugent.
Supplementary Resources
PowerPoint Presentation This presentation includes definitions, discussion questions, and a brief review of the differences between natural talents and spiritual gifts.
Disclosure of Material Connection: I have not received any compensation for writing this post. I have no material connection to the brands, products, or services that I have mentioned. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”
When I learned of Rachel Held Evans’ untimely passing this afternoon, my heart broke. It broke for her husband. It broke for her toddler and baby. And it broke for the world.
Our world is hurting, and an increasing number of Christians are awaking to the fact that their most sacred compilation of documents (a.k.a. the Bible) has been misappropriated for centuries to justify antisemitism, slavery, genocide, abuse, and more.
Unwilling to abandon the faith, many search for answers from those who have gone before them. Those who have not only deconstructed their faith, but also re-constructed it on a more firm foundation than bibliolatry.
Rachel Held Evans was a woman on a mission. She decided to share her faith journey publicly via her blog, then books, then speaking engagements. Her wish for any discussion that would ensue was simple:
“May it be lively. May it be civil. And may it honor the One who prayed that our unity would reflect the sweet harmony of the Trinity…because the world indeed is watching.”
Rachel Held Evans
As Rachel re-evaluated her conservative religious beliefs in light of modern biblical scholarship, she was transparent with her doubts and courageous in finding ways to follow Jesus wholeheartedly amidst criticism from all sides.
Rachel Held Evans was a gifted writer whose faith journey mirrored my own, though she was more brave than I. She skillfully, articulately, and publicly detailed her struggles with the fundamentalist approach to Scripture on her blog, in her books, and everywhere she was invited to speak.
Being a woman Bible scholar in such a divisive world, she endured incredible cyber-bullying from hyper-evangelicals who—even while she was laying in the hospital in a medically induced coma—arrogantly tweeted their condemnation of her views and “prayers” for her salvation. Unreal.
If you’re struggling to hold on to your faith or curious about why people rely on ancient writings to inform their 21st century decisions, I’d like to recommend that you read Rachel’s most recent NYT Best Seller, Inspired: Slaying Giants, Walking on Water, and Loving the Bible Again. It’s well-written, easy to understand, and filled with insights that will inform your understanding of the Bible.
You might disagree with her perspective; however, I challenge you to read it anyway. If you only read books written by authors who affirm what you already believe, you could be missing out on important conversations which can deepen and inform your faith. I highly recommend it.
Disclosure of Material Connection: Some of the links in the post above are “affiliate links.” This means if you click on the link and purchase the item, I will receive an affiliate commission. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will add value to my readers. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”
I’ve never read Little Women by Louisa May Alcott. Don’t judge me. I rarely read fiction. It’s not that I don’t like it: It’s just that I never developed a taste for it. Kinda like sushi. Don’t judge me for that either. ? #LittleWomenL3
When I was given the opportunity to screen this new movie based on an old novel, I asked my friends if they’d be interested in seeing it when it comes out. Since so many of them said yes, I decided to throw my hat into the ring and write a review.
The main characters are four sisters who have stereotypically different personality types and completely different dreams for their lives. The supporting cast does an amazing job of helping us see the girls not only for who they are at the moment but the women they become as the story develops.
The strong relationships between the sisters reminded me a lot of my own childhood: the love/hate relationship you have with your sisters who know you better than you know yourself, and at the same time, who ruin your favorite pair of painter pants the first time they borrow them. * cough * Shelley * cough *
A bond between sisters is something not easily broken.
The casting was fantastic, and they obviously had a great time making the movie!
The good news is that the movie was not sappy, and for those who have not read the book (like me), it was not completely predictable either.
I was pleasantly surprised at the actors’ ability to pull me into the story and keep me watching until the end. There were a couple of plot twists that I was not expecting, and Lea Thompson did a great job in her role as Marmee.
The setting of the story has been masterfully updated to the point that you’d never know the book was written 150 years ago! They did a great job translating the lessons and the raw emotion from the book onto the big screen.
This is a movie the whole family will enjoy, and it will be especially enjoyed when viewed with sisters! I recommend it with no reservations.
Have you read the book? If so, how old were you the first time you read it? Comment below.
Disclosure of Material Connection: I was given the opportunity to pre-screen this movie and giveaway two tickets for free in the hope that I would mention it on my blog. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will be good for my readers. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”
