Downtime

Feeling blue this season? Me, too. But for once, my primary goal isn't to get happy again. Instead, I'm most interested in finding out what God is teaching me through my sadness. Read more about my thoughts on this topic on Kyria.com:

Downtime

Could God have a sanctifying purpose for the sadness I feel?

Earlier this week, I realized I've been really depressed. I had no appetite. I couldn't sleep at night—though I did manage to sleep all day a few times. It felt like my greatest accomplishment was to get out of bed, take a shower, and dress in something other than my bathrobe. ...

FULL ARTICLE:
http://kyria.com/topics/hottopics/selfcare/downtime.html

Youth Survey: Win a Book!

CALLING ALL STUDENTS, ages 13 to 21: Fill out this very short survey by Friday, Dec. 10, and you could win an autographed book of your choice by author Shannon Primicerio!

(The survey is for me, by the way, to aid in some youth curriculum I'm working on--thanks for your help!)

http://www.surveymonkey.com/s/VQ2ZKLM

Strictly for the Hard Core: What Happens When We Die?

This is a revision of a research paper I wrote. I chose the topic after a Christian friend passed away, which caused me to think on questions such as: Since death is the punishment for sin, and God has forgiven the believer's sin, then why does a believer still die? Is death any different for the believer?

This short paper summarizes the thinking of some the great church minds including Augustine, John Calvin, William Shedd, and Norman Geisler on the origin of death, the difference between physical and spiritual death, and why the believer need not fear death.

Holly's Complete TCW Posts Now Online

As some of you know, Today's Christian Woman closed up shop last fall. Since the site no longer exists, I've posted the blogs I wrote for them on my site, http://hollyvicenterobaina.blogspot.com/. Enjoy the old stuff while I finish up my master's in Christian Apologetics at Biola University. New stuff TK soon!

FREE Advent Audio Devotionals

These short audio devotions for Advent were created by Marina Christian Fellowship in Los Angeles, CA. They include Scripture readings and music: www.marinachristian.org/tomorrowiwillcome_1

There's more info about the devotions and the folks who put them together on the web page. My sister is the female vocalist.

Who Am I? I Forgot ...

Holly's latest piece is now on Kyria.com:

Who Am I? I Forgot ...
When we let important stuff slide, our true identity slips away.

(If you're not able to access this, email me at contacthnt@gmail.com.)

The Power of Positive Spanking

I haven't posted on my personal blog for a couple months, and (thankfully, I guess) a few folks took notice, asking, "No bloggy? What gives?"

For starters, the magazine I regularly blogged for (Today's Christian Woman) folded a couple months ago. But I'd be lying if I said that's why I haven't written anything lately.

I'm also finishing up a master's degree in Christian Apologetics--I'm set to graduate next May. But I'd also be lying if I said that's why I haven't written.

In truth, the well has been dry. And not because I didn't want to write.

My Source had cut me off.

For the past few months, I've been focused on everything except God. I still knew I loved God, but my identity in Christ had gotten mushed down beneath the busy work of everyday life. Every prayer was beginning with the phrase, "I'm sorry I haven't spent time with you, God." And ending with the words, "I'm going to make time for you, real soon. Just not right now."

I do believe God takes away a person's ministry if they're not focused on him. (After all, if you're gonna be in the position of telling other people about God, you've got to be dedicated to knowing him yourself, right?) I've seen God give me a "time out," time and time again. And I've seen God do this to other folks.

I knew I was being disciplined, and that I should recognize. But frankly, I wanted to be naughty. I was enjoying a period of having every thought in my head be about ME. I was focused on the things I thought I wanted to accomplish. Thinking about how to make the future a happy one for myself. And patting myself on the back for what I've done in the past. In short, I'd mentally made myself the center of the world.

Fortunately, my Father is willing to dish out some tough love. He sent some folks to spiritually smack me upside the head (and I doubt they even knew they were doing so). And he reminded me that I don't know what's best for me--my goals, I realized, really didn't suit me at all. He showed me that my self-centered, self-congratulatory attitude was causing me to look inward for community (um, it isn't there), and to pull away from authentic relationships. God once again proved that my idea of "happy" was making me miserable.

I'm beginning to deeply appreciate God's discipline. I know that if he didn't love me, he'd let me wander off. But he seeks me out and draws me back every time. As CCM artist Michael Tait once put it in his song, God's love is "stronger than gravity," ever pulling us back to the Source of everything that's good.

And I'm learning discipline isn't just about punishment. God has taken me through some emotionally difficult times so I'll learn to trust and rely on him. He's put circumstances in my life to teach me how to be more Christ-like. I've experienced his love as my patient schoolmaster.

Next week, I'll post the link to an article I wrote for Kyria.com on H-n-T. It explains a bit more about these spiritual struggles I've been having. Please pray with me as I wait on God for his direction, and for me as God cleans me up from the mud puddle o' self-centeredness that I've been rolling around in.

Too Sexy for Church?

Holly's latest blog entry on Today's Christian Woman magazine's website is now up:

Too Sexy for Church?
Struggling with the "appropriateness" of my outfits

Ever have one of those days where you open your closet, and there isn't one appropriate outfit to wear? That's been my experience every Sunday morning for the past month. Suddenly, I can’t seem to find anything to wear to church. Skirts that I've worn for months or years now seem too short, too tight, too thin, or too flashy. Every top seems either to show too much skin, or have too much detail around the neckline, or just to fit me a little too nicely. And in my mind, my shoes are either too high, too strappy, or too revealing, what with my heel being exposed and all. I’ve also eschewed wearing anything with sequins, beading, lace, bows, ruffles, or elaborate stitching—because in my mind, these trims now scream, “Look at me! I’m excessive and flamboyant!”

In short, I’d concluded I didn’t have any “appropriate” worship-wear. Just as I planned to run out and buy a whole new wardrobe, a thought hit me: What has happened that’s made me now perceive my clothes as too showy and sexy? ...

FULL STORY: http://blog.todayschristianwoman.com/walkwithme/2009/07/too_sexy_for_church.html