Here’s our new blog design. I still have a lot of things I want to do with it, but overall, I’m pretty satisfied. Visually, it looks quite a bit different; but the back-end of the site is completely revamped. The main difference is the upgrade in HTML and CSS (Cascading Style Sheets) to the newest standards. It tends to be quite a bit easier to work with and customize, and in my opinion, looks better too. Another related difference related to the HTML5 and CSS3 is a very intuitive (yes, I know, that’s totally a buzz word!) template design by ElmaStudio. It is very friendly to browsers with smaller screens like tablets and mobile phones. The page automatically adjusts to whatever screen size it is being viewed on, without changing the look and feel dramatically.
Yes, that’s me. Just look at me. Don’t I have the haggard, refugee look? I mean, I’ve been through it all: the church (IFB!), the academy, the youth group, the college –the MEXICO TRIP! (oh,no!) –and I even grew up living on campus!!!
And I survived…and very well! I now am very happily married to a wonderful man, attending church and serving the Lord in a like-minded IFB church in Pennsylvania, have great friends, wonderful relationships with my parents in in-laws, and we are expecting our first baby in February! I have soooo much more than I ever deserved, and all because of the grace of God in my life. Boy, is He ever good to me.
Married May, 2009
And a big part of God’s grace to me was placing me at Fairhaven Baptist Church. My Dad and Mom met at Fairhaven (before they ever were “Dad” and “Mom” –and before I was even thought of!). They were married and eventually I was born there in Indiana. Later Sharon and Jim were born, and eventually Lindsey. Lindsey had lots of complications at birth, and the whole church prayed and prayed for her. She eventually learned to walk and talk, and today everyone loves Lindsey at Fairhaven –maybe because they remember praying her through those precarious early days! God is so good to all of us, but often we forget. I grew up with some friends who have forgotten. I wonder if any of them remember how God spared and healed Lindsey? How we all prayed together for her, and saw God’s miracle?
Well, I spent my childhood growing up at Fairhaven, attending Sunday School, riding on the Chesterton bus route that my Dad served on, attending school at the Academy, and going to day camp in the summers. I loved it! And I am so thankful for godly parents. I feel so rich to have had a Dad and Mom who were faithful to read the Bible to us every day and who also were tough on us in order to teach us Biblical character. Now Mom is in Heaven, but what a legacy and gift she left us. Of course my parents disciplined us…and thanks to God’s grace in giving me this discipline, I am what I am today. I would not be the person I am if it were not for the godly discipline in my childhood. It is Biblical…it’s right. I count myself privileged to have had the wonderful childhood I had. I wonder if any of my friends remember those things.
Our family at a Fourth of July concert
Later I entered the Junior High Youth Group. I loved Junior High. I really began to have an interest in spiritual things in Junior High. I accepted Christ as my personal Savior in the eighth grade. And I even was present on that Mexico Trip of 1997. For all the criticisms and allegations and bitterness that are taking place right now regarding that trip, I wonder if anyone remembers the trip how I do –? I remember a trip where I fell in love with the Mexican people, where I treasured every word of Spanish I could learn, where I heard good, Bible messages, and was challenged from the Word of God almost every day –a trip I was sad to see end. I wonder if my friends remember any of those things about that Mexico Trip?
Don't you just love the hairstyle! It was hot down there!My friend Becca...I know she won't mind if I post this!?! She's very forgiving like that!
I went on through Senior High and College, and even stayed an extra year before going out on my own. I consider my education at the Academy and College as superior in every way, and that is very valuable to me. Why, our teachers labored over their lessons, and loved us and cared for our personal lives too! Our pastors, Pastor Damron, Pastor Whitecar, Pastor Voegtlin, and Preacher loved us and prayed hours for us! The Lord gave me a strength of character, and a love for Him and His Word through Fairhaven. I would not trade it for anything! Nothing. I wonder if any of my friends remember how God worked on them during those years. I know He did, I remember distinct times for some of them…but what happened? Have they forgotten all of that? Oh, that they would remember…how much God loves them still!
Our family --and Dustin...He became more and more of a permanent fixture around our house until I finally married him!
Because of Fairhaven, I married my wonderful husband, and because of Fairhaven, and the biblical teaching I received there, we have a wonderful marriage. Now we are thrilled at the responsibility and blessing God has given us in a little child to be born in February. We look forward to raising this little one for the Lord too! We are currently very happy to be serving in an Independent, Fundamental, Baptist church in Pennsylvania. God is so good to us, and we look forward to all He has in store! But let us NEVER FORGET everything He has done for us!
Dustin and I in Baltimore last winterThe only picture we have so far of our "soon to be"!
Deu 4:9 Only take heed to thyself, and keep thy soul diligently, lest thou forget the things which thine eyes have seen, and lest they depart from thy heart all the days of thy life: but teach them thy sons, and thy sons’ sons;
Psa 78:7 That they might set their hope in God, and not forget the works of God, but keep his commandments:
Brainwash – to make (someone) adopt radically different beliefs by using systematic and often forcible pressure.
Have you ever been directly or indirectly accused of being brainwashed? I am convinced that this word is horrendously overused in today’s American English. It implies being dominated completely by another human being, and not being able to think for yourself; as well it often includes being labeled as a “dunce.” Being a Christian, I would say that I am fairly used to, especially in the post-modernist media establishment, being labeled as brainwashed. It is hilarious to me to see how many angles this label/accusation originates from. For example:
Many nations from around the globe claim that Americans are brainwashed into believing their country is the greatest on earth.
Those who believe in God are said to have been brainwashed into believing in Him when they were uneducated Christians.
Christians are supposedly brainwashed by their church to believe that Christ is God, and that there is no other way to heaven but through Him.
Fundamental Baptists are somehow accused of being brainwashed into adapting biblical standards concerning separation and godly living.
But what are all these accusations based on? Fact? The accusations are far from fact. They are all based on opinion and emotion. Brainwash is a very emotion-driven word, especially to the average person living in the United States. The immediate reaction to this word is supposed to be, “How horrible! ___________ is using mind control techniques to make people believe things.” And I agree, human mind control is wrong in every aspect; but to be specific, why label separated Baptists as brainwashed? Truth: it stirs the general public’s emotions by, at the very least, embellishing, if not outright lying to them about what is actually happening.
Let me illustrate by personal example and experience. I was raised in what most would consider a very “religious” home –to be exact, a fundamental Baptist home. I was constantly trained from the Bible. I was always taught to listen to what godly teachers and preachers said, and as long as it lined up with the Word of God, to direct my life in that path. Yes, I was highly influenced by people, starting with my parents, and so many others thereafter. Who is not influenced by teachers and mentors in their life? This is where the brainwashing accusation comes in.
However, the key difference is that I made a conscience decision to follow what I was taught. I could have rebelled, stopped going to church, threw away everything that I was taught, and lived the way I wanted. However, I didn’t choose to. Why would I? God has given me so much to be thankful for. I could not have planned my life to be as joyful as it has been. By God’s grace, I made my own choice to follow Christ with my life. Contrary to today’s common belief, I was never brainwashed into doing anything.
I think what these people are really trying to say is that they do not like what people are being taught. For most people who use the word, I think that they classify brainwashing as someone being taught anything that they themselves do not believe. Now it all makes sense!
Here are some not-so-uncommon comments that are said when using the term brainwash.
“Those children behave too well. They must be brainwashed!.” –No, that’s called obedience. That used to be common in America up until fifty or so years ago.
“____________ just takes the Bible so literally. He’s brainwashed.” –No, he has faith.
“The people from _______________ Church are so religious..and they dress funny too. They’re so brainwashed!” –No, they’re making their own decision to follow Biblical standards.
If we are going to use this false definition of brainwashing than we should use it universally. All children are brainwashed by their teachers; all people who want to lose weight are brainwashed by their newest diet guru; all sports fans are brainwashed by their favorite team; and television brainwashes everyone!
I consider myself a pretty independent person. I typically like to make my own decisions, make my own living, and make my own way in life –until God comes in. And believe me, He is always there. I gladly throw away every ounce of independence I may have, for His will. I could never be happier than to be influenced and controlled by God and his Word. What a privilege!
I came across the hymn, Fill the Earth with Praise recently, and have come to really appreciate it. I love how doctrinal the words are throughout it. On occasion, I believe that it is very beneficial to dwell on an old, perhaps more “lofty” anthem, with words that require you to think. Isaac Watts wrote the text for this hymn, and recently, Soundforth (yes, I know, Bob Jones University, but bear with me here) set a melody composed by Sir Hubert Parry called Jerusalem (essentially the UK’s un-official national anthem) with the text by Isaac Watts.
