A Legacy of Faithfulness

Happy 15th Birthday, Aidan!!

2011-11-12T15:58:00.000-05:00

Seeing our children grow in godly maturity is one of the greatest blessings that God provides to us on this earth! Birthdays are a great time to reflect on the growth that we see in our children and offer praise to the Lord for that growth.

Happy Birthday, Aidan! We are so grateful to see you growing and maturing in godliness. We see that you are becoming increasingly responsible and other-centered. The future is full of great hope knowing that God has a plan and a purpose that He is working to accomplish - including using you in good works that He has prepared for you in advance (Ephesians 2:10).

Aidan, we are blessed to celebrate your birthday, which is a celebration of your life and God's grace working in and through you. Our prayer for you is that you will continue to grow, learn, and mature into the man that God has called you to be. We are committed to helping you in that process by discipling you along the way and by helping you develop godly character.

Aidan, we love you very much and are filled with gratitude that God has allowed us the privilege of being your parents. We will always strive to show our love for you and seek what is best for you. We will pray for God's blessing on you and that with that blessing you will be fruitful and productive for His kingdom work.

Happy 15th Birthday, Aidan!

Celebrating Jordan's Faithful Sonship and Manhood! (Part 5 - Final)

2011-11-07T06:09:00.002-05:00

This is the final part of the letter celebrating Jordan's entrance into manhood, concluding with the last gift categories that we selected and our excitement and commitment as his parents to helping him in his future! It was indeed a very special and very blessed evening together as a family and one that we pray will be etched into Jordan's mind giving him joyful inspiration for the coming days, weeks, months, and years.

Forging Your Character – In this special category will be resources that will be helpful in the development of godly character in your life. The gifts that are a part of this category will be books, teaching videos, and audio resources that will be challenging your thinking to build the foundation of your life on God’s perfect and inerrant Word. These resources will help you take every thought captive to the lordship of Christ and will serve as a starting point for your family library so that you can pass on the knowledge and wisdom that you gain to your own children.

Planning for Your Future Family – The future is filled with great hope because we serve a God who is the giver of that hope. One of the greatest gifts that God provides on this earth is the gift of family. Our hearts are continually filled with gratitude that God has allowed us to raise you in accordance with the teaching of the Holy Scriptures. We are praying for your future family—that you will be blessed with a beloved help-meet who will be unified with you in purpose and that you will be blessed with the treasure of children. The Bible teaches that a good wife is worth far above rubies and that children are a heritage, a gift, and a blessing. The gifts in this category will be targeted toward helping you in your role as a husband and father, as well as blessing those that will become a part of your future household.

Blessing Your Faithfulness – A faithful, covenant keeping child will be blessed by the Lord in many ways. As you are obedient to God’s commands, you will know His favor. This does not necessarily mean that you will be given an easy road to travel or that everything will always follow the course that you desire. However, you can always maintain the perspective that God will work all things together for good to those who love Him and are called according to His purpose. Being a child of His, you are included in that promise! We pray that these gifts will be a great treasure, will be a continual reminder of the blessing that results from faithfulness, and will give you a tangible reminder to share with the next generation of the favor that you receive from living a life that is dedicated to the principles of the Bible.

We love you very much, Jordan! We are grateful that God has allowed us to be your parents, we rejoice in you entering into manhood, and we are very excited to be helping you plan and prepare for the future! May you live by the verse that we have chosen to be etched onto the plaque for the special Captain’s Trunk that we joyfully selected for this very special and memorable occasion:

By wisdom a house is built, and through understanding it is established; through knowledge its rooms are filled with rare and beautiful treasures.

(Proverbs 24:3-4, NIV)

Pursue wisdom, understanding, and knowledge in the fear of the Lord and you, as well as your household, will be blessed!

Love Always,

Dad and Mom

Celebrating Jordan's Faithful Sonship and Manhood! (Part 4)

2011-10-26T06:12:00.005-04:00

After the challenges that we gave to Jordan, we provided him with special gifts all carefully selected for their significance and their fulfillment of specific categories that we had decided would be important for Jordan's future. This post contains a part of those gifts.

With this celebration, we have selected many special gifts for you—gifts that will aid you in preparing for and establishing your own household. This celebration is more than a single, one-time event since we plan to give you additional presents in the coming years in the particular categories that we will outline today—provided that you will be a faithful, covenant-keeping son. It is not the intent that each year will have a representative from each category—but that every year there will be a significant addition to one or more of these groups. Each of the areas that these classes represent will play a very important role in you being a godly, righteous, and holy man. Here are the categories that we have selected for helping you in establishing your future household:

Saving for Your Future – To start and maintain a household, you will need financial resources. Let us remind you that everything that you have is a gift from God, that He is Jehovah Jirah providing for our every need, and that our future is in His hands. Do not allow the savings for the future become your security. At the same time, it is important to be planning for the days that are to come, which will include monetary savings. Your role as the provider for those whom the Lord will graciously give to you is a great privilege and responsibility. To help you, we will be providing you with financial gifts that are intended to serve as an assistance in your saving for the future—for both yourself and for your own family.

Building Your Home –A home is a big investment in terms of the finances required and the time that is needed for its upkeep. The home should be a place of industry, education, hospitality, and ministry to others. In order to establish and sustain housing for yourself and your family, you will need to have tools. These tools include construction tools, as well as aids that will be used in caring for and maintaining the dwelling for which you will be primarily responsible.

Remembering Your Heritage – Everyone has a heritage and it is our prayer that you will have a godly legacy on which to build for your future and the future of your family. Our heritage is filled with the work and the providence of Almighty God and this category will be reminding you of the family history that is a part of your past. May you be filled with gratitude as you reflect on your heritage and may the gifts that are in this category serve as reminders to you of how you are an heir to the past, as well as the importance of passing on the legacy of faithfulness to the generations that are yet to be born.

Celebrating Jordan's Faithful Sonship and Manhood! (Part 3)

2011-10-12T06:33:00.003-04:00

After the introduction that was posted in part 2, the letter went on to give Jordan a set of challenges for his life. Here is the list of those challenges, which are intended to encourage and inspire Jordan now and in the future:

While the future is one that is filled with hope and promise, it is also filled with much work and will require a persevering spirit in order to succeed. To assist you in your journey we have the following challenges for you to strive to master in the upcoming months and years:

First, seek the Lord, His wisdom, and His righteousness above all else. God should be the foundation of everything in life and each of us should pursue our relationship with Him as our first and irreplaceable priority. It is by the fear of the Lord that we can grow in knowledge and in wisdom. God desires that we focus our lives on His kingdom and not wear ourselves out in the pursuit of the temporal things of this world.

But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you. (Matthew 6:33, KJV)

Second, develop the fruit of the Spirit, which should be manifested in all that you say, do, and think. We want you to dedicate yourself to living a life that demonstrates this fruit and may you keep in the forefront of your mind the verses of Galatians 5:22-23 that outline these vital characteristics:

But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness, temperance: against such there is no law. (KJV)

Third, seek to place others before yourself. Pride and selfishness are a sinful disease that spreads and causes many problems in life. God specifically gives us the following warning in regard to pride:

God resisteth the proud, but giveth grace unto the humble. (James 4:6, KJV)

On the subject of selfishness, God has very direct and specific counsel:

Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit, but in humility consider others better than yourselves. (Philippians 2:3)

How much better it is to be resting in God’s grace by following His perfect direction than struggling against His opposition by self-centered and self-seeking pursuits.

Fourth, seek to be generous and not greedy. Greed is another pitfall that besets many a man and the older you are prior to getting rid of this unhealthy and ungodly attitude the more difficult it becomes. The Bible has great wisdom on this subject, as it does on every matter pertaining to life since we know that God’s Word is an all-sufficient guide for every area of how we are to live. It states:

He that is greedy of gain troubleth his own house; but he that hateth gifts shall live. (Proverbs 15:27, KJV)

Fifth, seek to have a gentle and sensitive disposition, eliminating all bitterness, rage, and anger. In order to achieve victory in this area, you must not only win the battle of the outward actions being free from anger, but you must also triumph in the war that is in the mind over the very spirit of anger. You must be willing to live in accordance with the exhortation that we receive from Scripture:

Let all bitterness, and wrath, and anger, and clamour, and evil speaking, be put away from you, with all malice: And be ye kind one to another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God for Christ's sake hath forgiven you. (Ephesians 5:31-32, KJV)

In order to meet these challenges, you need not, and in fact you best not, attempt to do so alone. You have God’s Word as the ultimate standard by which to live, the Holy Spirit to lead you into all manner of godliness, and loving parents who are seeking to prepare you for your life journey.

Celebrating Jordan's Faithful Sonship and Manhood! (Part 2)

2011-10-06T06:30:00.001-04:00

Here is the beginning portion of the letter that I (David) wrote on that very special occasion where we celebrated Jordan's faithful sonship and entrance into manhood.

Jordan,

This letter is being written out of a heart of love for you on a special celebration of commissioning you into manhood! You have a very exciting future ahead of you and as your parents, we look forward to helping you grow and develop into the man that God wants you to be. We are very honored and privileged to be serving as your guides and we pray that you will always be able to look back on your years of growing up in this family with great fondness and affection. We pray that the foundation that is being laid now will provide a firm base that is centered on living a life honoring to your Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. It is our sincere hope that you will be taking dominion for the glory of God in whatever specific areas that He will call you and that there will be many future generations that will continue to build on and further your dominion work.

Birthday Blessings, My Beloved Bride!

2011-10-01T22:46:00.000-04:00

Birthdays are a special time to remember and honor the one that is celebrating another year of God's faithfulness, grace, and mercy!

This year I (David) am providing this birthday post to my dearly beloved bride by petitioning the Lord for His blessings on her behalf. God is love and the giver of good gifts to His children.

Jill,

Happy Birthday, my dear and precious help meet! I love you, sweetheart! Here are the specific requests for which I am asking of our gracious and loving Heavenly Father for you!

Fruitfulness - O Lord, please provide to my dear sweetheart a life that is characterized by great fruitfulness. May You grant to Jill a fruitful womb that will continue to bear children for your honor and glory. Give to Jill fruitful hands that will be effective in her service to You as we seek as a family to take dominion for Your Name!

Joy - Heavenly Father, graciously provide my Jill with a joyful, fulfilled heart that will be delighting in her role as my wife and mother to the children with which Your hand has blessed our family.

Contentment - Dear God, please grant my dear bride a contented life that will accept and welcome every situation in which you place her. Lord, give her this blessing and enable her to be able to say “for I have learned, in whatsoever state I am, therewith to be content” (Philippians 4:11, KJV).

Wisdom - Lord, please give Jill Your wisdom and allow her to speak this wisdom wherever she is, whomever she is around, and whatever the circumstance. Give Jill a growing desire to pursue wisdom with great fervor. Allow Jill to be filled with this wisdom and may she influence others with it for Your honor and glory.

Peace - Heavenly Father, please provide to Jill the peace that passes all understanding based on Your perfect character. Enable her to be able to show this peace as a means of testifying of You and the difference that You make.

Hope - Our gracious Lord, please give Jill great hope for each tomorrow knowing that You have an important work for her to do in the ministry of this family and her role in the body of Christ. Help Jill to be spurred on by the plans that You have for her and enable her to share this hope with those around her.

Jill, you are so precious and dear to me and I am grateful to be your husband and your earthly head. I pray that I will be able to bless you with godly leadership and provide you with a love that will be a good model of Christ’s love for the Church. I love you, Jill! Happy Birthday, my beloved!

Celebrating Jordan's Faithful Sonship and Manhood! (Part 1)

2011-09-24T13:55:00.018-04:00

The beginning of manhood is one that is marked by becoming a faithful son. It includes a willingness to take responsibility, to be consistent and diligent in work, and to demonstrate mature decision-making. While there is not an absolute transition point whereby one day a boy suddenly becomes a man, the start of manhood is an occasion worthy of celebration. I submit that you will bless and inspire your son by having a time set aside to rejoice and celebrate his manhood at whatever stage you see the characteristics of manliness as outlined in God's Word developing in him by the grace of God.

In February 2009, we celebrated Jordan Jachim's entrance into manhood at age 14 by going out for a celebration dinner at Jordan's favorite restaurant (Macaroni Grill), followed by a very special time of showering him with significant and meaningful gifts starting with a beautiful and very well constructed captain's trunk made from rich walnut wood.

(This trunk was ordered from www.woodnu.com, where you will find a very fine selection of trunks, hope chests, and more.)

Inside the trunk was a very striking brass plaque, which was inscribed with Proverbs 24:3-4:

By wisdom a house is built, and through understanding it is established; through knowledge its rooms are filled with rare and beautiful treasures.

Strange Food!

2011-08-19T08:53:00.007-04:00

I've been collecting these photos of interesting food we have had. It is amazing how strangely things can grow sometimes!

EGGS

We have all probably seen double yolk eggs, as I have, but I had two of them in one carton! They looked so cool while they were cooking! Of course, I HAD to break the yolks on the other two eggs. :-p Bummer!

BANANA

This banana was really fat before opening it. I did not give it much thought other than "it's such a fat banana". However, when I peeled it, lo and behold, it was a double banana in one peel! I have NEVER seen or heard of this!

Do you know the trick to separate a banana into 3 equal strips by squeezing it gently? Squeeze it all around, and the three sections will naturally come apart! I did that with this double banana, and it separated into 6 sections! (The photo shows only 5 because I actually had 2 of them stuck together; when I pressed it further, that one separated into 2 for a total of 6 sections).

CUCUMBER

Here's another one: a double cucumber!! This one is from David's mom and dad's garden!

Pretty fun, is it not? Okay, so we are easily amused around here! God's creation is amazing--whether from its complexities or even its eccentricities!

He hath made every thing beautiful in his time: also he hath set the world in their heart, so that no man can find out the work that God maketh from the beginning to the end. (Ecclesiastes 3:11)

Liberty Day History Display from 2011--pt. 23

2011-08-04T10:28:00.007-04:00

For our history display, we created a flat board with paper soldiers to represent Pickett's Charge on Day 3 of the battle of Gettysburg. However, even Pickett's Charge would be too large, so we focused on General Armistead's division breaching Union lines and being forced back by General Webb and his division. 10 different regiments (5 Union and 5 Confederate) were represented on the board, each reduced by a factor of 10; thus, the 69th had 320 men at Gettysburg, etc.:

69th Pennsylvania: Strength: 32, Regiment Type: Irish. The 69th held the Confederates at bay in its sector of the line
71st Pennsylvania: Strength: 33, Regiment Type: Regular. Most of the 71st ran for it when the Confederates arrived
72nd Pennsylvania: Strength: 45, Regiment Type: Zouave. The 72nd held the line until New York reinforcements came up
106th Pennsylvania: Strength: 33, Regiment Type: Regular. "You can withdraw your batteries when that regiment [106th] runs away" General Howard to Major Osborn
4th U.S. Artillery, Battery A: Strength: 8, Regiment Type: Artillery. Lieutenant Alonzo Cushing commanded Battery A. He was killed during Pickett's Charge.

9th Virginia: Strength: 32, Regiment Type: Regular. Only two officers and 37 men of the 9th surrendered at Appomattox
14th Virginia: Strength: 42, Regiment Type: Regular. The 14th was recruited in May 1861, making it the oldest regiment in Armistead's Brigade
38th Virginia: Strength: 40, Regiment Type: Regular. The 38th's colonel was named Powhatan Whittle
53rd Virginia: Strength: 44, Regiment Type: Regular. The 53rd was formed in December 1861, making it the newest regiment in Armistead's Brigade
57th Virginia: Strength: 48, Regiment Type: Regular. The 57th was General Armistead's own regiment

Happy 10th Birthday, Amara!!

2011-07-25T01:08:00.000-04:00

Today, Amara Grace Jachim turns 10 years old! What a blessing it is to be able to celebrate the birthday of this dear daughter and to think back on the birth of this precious girl. She was born at 1:08 A.M. and from the time that she was born (her birth weight was 9 lb and 9 oz) she has seemed older than her age. It is our desire that she will be mature in godliness and holiness beyond her years all through her life!

Amara, we are so grateful to the Lord for His creation of your life and we are very blessed to have you as a part of this family! As you continue to grow, our prayer for you is that you will become more and more like the Lord Jesus Christ - putting on His character by seeking to live in a manner consistent with His nature as revealed in His Word! We humbly ask our loving Heavenly Father that He will give to you great wisdom and a very joyful future that will include becoming a help-meet to a godly husband, as well as a mother to many faithful, covenant-keeping children.

We are committed to training you for the honor and glory of God! Toward that end, we will be diligently providing you with instruction from God's Word and giving you resources that will be an aid to you in growing in knowledge of Holy Scripture. It is with this in mind that included in your presents this year, we are gladly granting your request for a new Bible and special marking pencil. You can use these new tools to gain understanding of what God teaches in His Word, as well as how you can apply what you learn in your life now and in the future. Remember that it is only through the discipline of studying Scripture that you can know all that you are to do in order to live a life that is pleasing to the Lord!

Happy Birthday, my dear daughter! May you have many special memories of this birthday and each of your birthdays as a part of this household! You are very special and we love you very much!

Happy Second Birthday, Tirzah!!

2011-07-10T12:49:00.002-04:00

Today, Tirzah Mercy Jachim turns two years old! It has been a great joy and delight to see her grow, learn, and develop over these past two years. She has a very determined and exuberant personality that has added so much to our whole family! We praise the Lord for her life and we look forward to the future with great hope knowing that God has a plan and a purpose for this precious little girl!

Tirzah, I am so blessed to have you as my daughter and I count it a great privilege to be raising you for the honor and glory of the Lord Jesus Christ! My prayer for you is that you will be a daughter of the King of kings and Lord of lords - not only saved from your sin, but living day by day for the purpose of furthering His kingdom! I am committed to training you in the ways that are outlined in Scripture and also to give you a personal example of what it means to live a godly, upright, righteous, and holy life!

Happy Birthday, Tirzah! You are a very special reminder to our whole family of the mercy of God as He gave us you as an answer to our crying out to Him for the blessing of more children! The Bible teaches us that "Lo, children are an heritage of the Lord, and the fruit of the womb is his reward." (Psalm 127:3, KJV) What a treasure you are to us and what a joy it is to have you as a part of this household! We have many special memories of your life already and look to the days to come with excitement and anticipation as you grow in the grace and knowledge of the Lord Jesus!

We love you, dearly, Tirzah! Happy birthday, our precious and special gift from a loving Heavenly Father!

Happy 17th Birthday, Jordan!!

2011-06-21T05:48:00.004-04:00

My son, hear the instruction of thy father, and forsake not the law of thy mother: For they shall be an ornament of grace unto thy head, and chains about thy neck. (Proverbs 1:8-9, KJV)

Happy Birthday, Jordan!

It was 17 years ago today that the Lord blessed us with the birth of our first child, Jordan Christopher Jachim! What a tremendous privilege and responsibility God has given us in training Jordan according to God's Holy Word! The journey thus far has been a road filled with many precious memories as we have seen Jordan grow from the precious and highly dependent stage of infancy to the strength of godly manhood.

Reflecting back on the day of Jordan's birth, our hearts are filled with joy! Contemplating the last 17 years along with the physical, intellectual, and spiritual growth that we have seen in this young man, our hearts are filled with gratitude! As we look to the future for the Lord's direction for Jordan's dominion work, our hearts are filled with excitement and hope!

Jordan, I am so grateful to be your father and I pray that I will effectively lead you according to the perfect law of God! My prayer for you is that you will be a man of holiness, righteousness, and godliness! As you seek to live according to the way that the Lord has ordained for you, may you be diligent in fulfilling the good works that God has prepared for you, joyful as you live a life that is dedicated to the King of kings, and fruitful in impacting this world for the advancement of Christ's kingdom!

Happy 17th Birthday, my son!

Liberty Day History Display from 2011--pt. 22

2011-06-01T07:36:00.005-04:00

The Paper Soldiers

What’s the display? On Day 3 of Gettysburg, General Lee ordered General Pickett’s division to charge the Union lines. One of Pickett’s subordinates, General Armistead and his men broke through, but they were overwhelmed and wiped out by Colonel Webb’s Philadelphia Brigade. The board depicts Armistead at the farthest point through the Union lines, known as the “High-water mark of the Confederacy”.

How many paper soldiers are there? 361 men

Union: “Webb’s Philadelphia Brigade”--Total: 153

Confederate: “Armistead’s Brigade”--Total: 208

Who’s in charge on the board? General Lewis A. Armistead and Colonel Alexander S. Webb
What’s that clump of trees? Historians call it the “Clump of Trees”. General Lee used that to direct Pickett’s division to the charge.

Why is only one cannon firing? Lieutenant Cushing was out of ammunition.

The soldiers on the display are reduced 1/10 from their strength at Gettysburg; hence the 69^th Pennsylvania had 324 men, and so on.

Credits:

Paper soldiers found on www.juniorgeneral.org

Designers: Nicolas Schneier, Ungern, Daniel Harper, Clive, Old Tyke, Jarrett Voight, John Gypson, Russell McCreight, and Michael Krein.

Numbers at Gettysburg: Jenny Goellnitz at www.drawthesword.goellnitz.org

General Armistead led his brigade at Gettysburg with his hat on his sword

(soldier by W. Britains www.wbritains.com)

Liberty Day History Display from 2011--pt. 21

2011-05-30T06:55:00.011-04:00

Battle of Gettysburg Fast Facts

General in Charge: Union--George C. Meade (left); Confederate--Robert E. Lee (right).
How many soldiers were at Gettysburg? 88,000 Union, 73,000 Confederate (rough numbers)
Where was it fought? Near the town of Gettysburg, Pennsylvania.
How long did the battle last? 3 days, July 1, 2, and 3, 1863.
Who won? Day 1--draw: Day 2--Confederate: Day 3--Union, and Lee falls back to Virginia
Why is it important? Gettysburg was General Lee’s last invasion of the North. From then on, all battles were fought on Confederate soil.

Soldiers by W. Britains (www.wbritain.com)

Liberty Day History Display from 2011--pt. 20

2011-05-27T07:46:00.003-04:00

This is a short chronology of battles, events, etc. of the American Civil War.

Confederate victories denoted by gray; Union victories by blue. Draws are orange.

1860 December 20 South Carolina secedes from United States

1861 April 12-13 Fort Sumter, SC (begins Civil War)

1861 July 26 First Bull Run, VA (First major battle, Federals crushed)

1862 March 9 Hampton Roads VA, Draw (U.S.S. Monitor vs. C.S.S Virginia)

1862 June 25-July 1 Seven Days’ Battles, VA (McClellan retreats north, abandons campaign to capture Richmond)

1862 April 6-7 Shiloh, TN, (Confederates fail to block union of two Federal armies)

1862 August 28-30 Second Bull Run, VA (Lee crushes Pope’s army, rolls McClellan toward Washington D.C.)

1862 September 17 Antietam MD, Draw (McClellan defeated, but stops Lee’s invasion of North)

1862 December 11-15 Fredericksburg, VA (Burnside’s rush on Richmond halted)

1863 May 3 Chancellorsville, VA (Lee crushes Hooker, but Stonewall Jackson killed)

1863 May 14-July 4 Vicksburg, MS (Confederate fortress on Mississippi River captured)

1863 July 1-3 Gettysburg, PA (Lee’s second invasion of North stopped)

1863 September 19-20 Chickamauga, TN (Confederate victory, but Chattanooga still in Union hands)

1864 May 5-7 Wilderness, VA, Draw (Grant’s invasion of Virginia continues)

1864 May 8-21 Spotsylvania Court House, VA, Draw (Grant’s invasion of Virginia continues)

1864 November 15-December 21, Sherman’s March to the Sea, GA (Sherman fights and burns from Atlanta to Savannah)

1865 March 29-April 9, Appomattox Campaign, VA (Lee’s Army of Northern Virginia surrenders to General U.S. Grant)

1865 April 26 Johnston surrenders, NC (Confederate General Johnston of the Army of Tennessee surrenders to General Grant and Sherman)

1865 May 5 Confederate Government dissolved, VA (President Davis declares government dissolved and flees)

1865 May 10 Jefferson Davis captured, VA (4th Michigan Cavalry captures Confederate President)

1865 May 26 Kirby Smith surrenders, LA (General Smith surrenders last major Confederate army)

1865 June 23 Stand Watie surrenders, OK (General Watie surrenders last Confederate force under arms)

Liberty Day History Display from 2011--pt. 19

2011-05-26T07:38:00.003-04:00

Heroes in Blue

When General Lee surrendered at Appomattox, General Ulysses S. Grant allowed the Confederates to keep their horses for spring plowing. He also sent rations to feed Lee’s army.

Brigadier General Joshua Chamberlain accepted the surrender of General John B. Gordon’s troops at Appomattox. As the former enemy soldiers came to surrender, Chamberlain ordered his men to salute. Gordon returned the salute. Gordon later called Chamberlain, “one of the knightliest soldiers in the Federal Army.”

Liberty Day History Display from 2011--pt. 18

2011-05-25T08:32:00.006-04:00

Heroes in Gray

“I am nothing but a poor sinner, trusting in Christ alone for salvation.”

- Robert E. Lee

On August 29, 1862, during the Second Battle at Bull Run (known as Second Manassas by the South), the Confederates held their position at Stony Ridge despite six tremendous Union assaults. That night a friend told Jackson (who was leading the troops), “We have won this battle by the hardest kind of fighting.” Jackson replied, “No, no, we have won it by the blessing of Almighty God !”

Liberty Day History Display from 2011--pt. 17

2011-05-24T07:51:00.001-04:00

What Lessons Can We Learn from the Civil War for Today? (Part 2)

There is no distinction between secular and sacred work, but all is sacred - From the lives of Robert E. Lee and Stonewall Jackson, we learn that the application of Christian principles can be brought to every lawful work performed by man. The idea that only religious work is sacred unto the Lord is foreign to the text of Scripture which teaches that “...whatsoever ye do, do it heartily, as to the Lord” (Colossians 3:23, KJV)
The virtues of honor and respect can be maintained toward enemies - From the acceptance of the surrender by Brigadier General Joshua Chamberlain and the provisions given by General Grant to the South after the completion of the war, we see examples of the Christian character of treating others honorably and with respect.
The importance of understanding the times - With the Civil War providing for a stronger centralized federal government and the decline into socialism within the United States ever since, we are taught that we must understand the times so that we as Christians can respond rightly and biblically in our day. This understanding is based not only on current events, but also on the unchanging and perfect Law of God.
A gratitude for the Providence of God - The Lord God Almighty is in control of all things and is working things out for His honor and glory. In the Civil War we see elements of God’s love, grace, and mercy as shown through a spiritual awakening and hunger within the camps, as well as God’s judgment and justice for the Church compromises and national sins. May these lessons cause us to say “Thou art worthy, O Lord, to receive glory and honour and power: for thou hast created all things, and for thy pleasure they are and were created” (Revelation 4:11)

Liberty Day History Display from 2011--pt. 16

2011-05-23T08:20:00.001-04:00

What Lessons Can We Learn from the Civil War for Today? (Part 1)

As we look at the people and the events of the Civil War, there is much we can learn that we can apply today. Consider the following lessons:

The Bible is the foundation for all of life - From the theological compromises of the Church, we can see the necessity of being firmly grounded in God’s Holy Word. Compromise within the church affects the body of Christ and the nation as a whole.
The importance of unity within the body of Christ - From the splits within the Church, we learn about the significance of unity. While unity should never be maintained at the expense of the truth of Holy Scripture, those within the Church should be fighting together to advance the kingdom of the Lord.
The significance of studying history from primary sources - From the distortion of the truth about the reasons popularly given for the Civil War, we should be inspired to look to primary source material (records written by people actually involved in the events). As you study and understand the events in history, you will be able to discern errors being espoused and not be led by those teaching those errors.
An appreciation for God’s sovereign grace - From the inspiring testimonies of salvation that occurred during the Civil War, we should stand in awe of the Lord for how He can use many different, difficult, and trying situations to build His Kingdom.

Liberty Day History Display from 2011--pt. 15

2011-05-20T07:48:00.003-04:00

How Do We See God’s Providential Hand of Blessing After the Civil War?

Just as we see in the Word of God, the judgment of the Lord on nations is tempered with the blessings of God on His people for the sake of His Name, so we see that God tempered His judgment on our country with His divine blessing. The result of maintaining a unified nation rather than two separate nations has provided numerous benefits for all those residing within the United States of America, including the following:

A stronger military power to aid in the upcoming World War I and World War II conflicts.
A stronger economic power fueled by an increase in the sharing and development of technology in the country without the need to export to a foreign nation.
A stronger political power providing the country with a greater international influence due to their military and economic strength.

Liberty Day History Display from 2011--pt. 14

2011-05-18T09:42:00.003-04:00

How Do We See God’s Providential Hand of judgment After the Civil War?

But God is the judge: he putteth down one, and setteth up another. (Psalm 75:7, KJV)

With the Union victory in the Civil War, we see God’s judgment on the nation through a stronger central government that was established. This centralization of power has served to propel the United States along the course of socialism, which we have seen rising in this country ever since the end of the Civil War. Property rights and religious liberty (particularly for Christians) have markedly decreased, while unbiblical social programs and new federal departments have drastically increased. This socialist agenda has served to further establish the governmental tyranny over the people. As an example of the socialism of this country brought about by the Civil War, consider the following:

Prior to the War Between the States, people would use the phrase “The United States are ...” which demonstrates a recognition that the individual states were the source of the majority of the power and that these states voluntarily federated together to form a union.
After the War Between the States, people would use the phrase “The United States is ...” which shows that the strength was primarily concentrated in the federal government and that the states were being held together via that centralized power.

Liberty Day History Display from 2011--pt. 13

2011-05-17T08:01:00.006-04:00

How Do We See God’s Providential Hand in the Midst of the Civil War?

God’s salvation comes to the President of the United States "When I left Springfield, I asked the people to pray for me. I was not a Christian. When I buried my son — the severest trial of my life — I was not a Christian. But when I went to Gettysburg, and saw the graves of thousands of our soldiers, I then and there consecrated myself to Christ.” (Abraham Lincoln)
God builds His army from the soldiers in North and South “The best estimates of conversions in the Union forces place the figure between 100,000 and 200,000 men - about 5-10 percent of all individuals engaged in the conflict. In the smaller Confederate armies, at least 100,000 were converted.” (taken from Dr. Gardiner H. Shattuck, Jr., author of A Shield and Hiding Place: The Religious Life of the Civil War Armies)
God brings the “Great Revival” to forces of Robert E. Lee From fall 1863 through the winter of 1864, a spiritual awakening took place in the Confederate camp that was headed by General Lee with an estimated 7,000 soldier conversions.
God sparks a spiritual hunger in the Union camp There were times on the Union side that preaching and praying continued all day and night. Chapels were insufficient in size to hold the soldiers who wanted to get inside.

Liberty Day History Display from 2011--pt. 12

2011-05-16T09:24:00.003-04:00

How Do We See God’s Providential Hand in the Start of the Civil War?

A wrathful man stirreth up strife: but he that is slow to anger appeaseth strife. (Proverbs 15:18, KJV)

While the first shot was fired by the Confederates at Fort Sumter in South Carolina on April 12, 1861, it was the instigation of the Northern states that resulted in the start of the hostilities. Seven Southern states seceded from the Union (including SC) and Fort Sumter was under Union control prior to the start of the war. Abraham Lincoln sent supplies to Fort Sumter even though doing so would be considered an act of foreign aggression since the fort was in a Confederate State. When General P.G.T. Beauregard from the South issued an ultimatum to Union Major Robert Anderson to surrender the fort or else be attacked, Anderson refused to yield. This resulted in firing on the fort, thus marking the start of the war.

Liberty Day History Display from 2011--pt. 11

2011-05-14T07:45:00.004-04:00

How Do We See God’s Providential Hand in the Events Leading Up to the Civil War?

Painting: Leaving Home by Gilbert Gaul, found at http://www.military-art.com/mall/more.php?ProdID=6131

For the time is come that judgment must begin at the house of God: and if it first begin at us, what shall the end be of them that obey not the gospel of God? (1 Peter 4:17, KJV)

The theological compromises within the American churches coupled with the church splits along the regional lines between North and South set the stage for the Civil War. Without a strong theology, the Church did not speak from the basis of biblical authority to the issues of the day. With division in the church, unity was directly weakened within the nation. These two problems within the Church were major components of the backdrop of the Civil War.

In addition to the problems within the church, there were also economic and political tensions between the states in the North and those in the South. These events demonstrate the truth of God’s Holy Word which teaches that judgment begins at the house of God and then spreads to those that are not followers of the Lord God Almighty. God’s hand of providence can be seen through the events leading up to the Civil War as He shows us His faithfulness to His Word.

Liberty Day History Display from 2011--pt. 9

2011-05-11T12:07:00.004-04:00

What Does Karl Marx Have to Do With the Civil War?

Karl Marx supported the Union Army, the Republican Party, and Abraham Lincoln
After Lincoln’s re-election in 1864, a letter was sent congratulating him on this victory by the International Workingmen’s Association penned by Karl Marx
In this letter, Marx referred to Lincoln as “the single-minded son of the working class, to lead his country through the matchless struggle for the rescue of an enchained race and the reconstruction of a social world.”
The move toward a more centralized government power represented by Abraham Lincoln was a necessary step toward socialism

Liberty Day History Display from 2011--pt. 8

2011-05-10T08:15:00.004-04:00

Did Abraham Lincoln Hold to the Conviction that Owning Slaves was Immoral?

“My paramount object in this struggle is to save the Union, and is not either to save or to destroy slavery. If I could save the Union without freeing any slave I would do it, and if I could save it by freeing all the slaves I would do it; and if I could save it by freeing some and leaving others alone I would also do that. What I do about slavery, and the colored race, I do because I believe it helps to save the Union; and what I forbear, I forbear because I do not believe it would help to save the Union. I shall do less whenever I shall believe what I am doing hurts the cause, and I shall do more whenever I shall believe doing more will help the cause.” - Abraham Lincoln in a letter to Horace Greeley on August 22, 1862

Liberty Day History Display from 2011--pt. 7

2011-05-09T10:37:00.003-04:00

What Evidence Is There That the Civil War Was Not About Slavery?

If Civil War was intended to end slavery, then how are the following explained:

Why did the Emancipation Proclamation first go into effect more than a year and a half after the start of the war?
Why did Emancipation Proclamation only free slaves in states that were in rebellion to the United States rather than all slaves?
Why did the Emancipation Proclamation allow for Southern states to keep their slaves if they would re-join the Union?
Why did the Emancipation Proclamation have a specific provision for allowing the slaves to enlist in the Union Army?

Liberty Day History Display from 2011--pt. 6

2011-05-06T08:00:00.002-04:00

What Was the Emancipation Proclamation and What Did It Do?

The Emancipation Proclamation was an executive order drafted by Abraham Lincoln that went into effect on January 1, 1863
It freed only those slaves that were held in Southern states (those that were deemed in rebellion to the United States) - NOT in the Northern states, which are referred to as the “border states”.

The border states were the slave-holding Union states of Delaware, Maryland, Kentucky, Missouri, and West Virginia

It allowed those slaves freed from the South to enlist in the Union Army
It was enacted “as a fit and necessary war measure for suppressing said rebellion”

Liberty Day History Display from 2011--pt. 5

2011-05-05T06:49:00.003-04:00

Was the Civil War About Slavery?

No, not really. A complex set of circumstances were present between the North and the South which led to the conflict that saw nearly 620,000 people die. The popular view that the Civil War was a conflict over slavery with the North wanting to provide freedom to those people that were enslaved in the South is a distortion of the truth. The issue of slavery did play an important role in the Civil War. However, the fight over slavery between the North and South centered on who had the jurisdiction over the institution of slavery in the individual states. The South embraced the position that the states should be sovereign and that the federal government was overstepping its rightful bounds by attempting to regulate and restrict slavery in all states. The North believed that the centralized federal government held the right to dictate this policy to the states.

Liberty Day History Display from 2011--pt. 4

2011-05-04T10:03:00.002-04:00

Was There Division in the American Churches Prior to the Civil War?

There were numerous significant church splits prior to the Civil War:

1837 - Presbyterian Church split into Old School and New School

The New School held to the conviction that man could come to Christ without the Holy Spirit and embraced revivalism techniques to get people to respond to the message of the Gospel
The Old School members disagreed with the theological compromises in the New School and expelled the members holding to these erroneous views

1841 - Michigan Methodists (who were opposed to slavery) split away from the remaining Methodist denomination to form the Wesleyan Methodist Church
1844 - Methodist denomination split over whether clergy members could be slaveholders, with the new Southern Methodist Church formed
1845 - Baptist denomination split with the new Southern Baptist Convention formed after James Reeves (who was a slave owner) was refused a missionary position to the Cherokee Indians by the Baptist General Assembly

Liberty Day History Display from 2011--pt. 3

2011-05-03T18:14:00.007-04:00

What Was the Condition of the American Christian Church Prior to the Civil War?

In the mid-1800s, numerous theological compromises were adopted in American churches

Rejection of the historical, grammatical interpretation of Genesis 1 by holding to the erroneous belief that the days of creation were not literal

Note that this re-interpretation occurred decades prior to the publication of Charles Darwin’s book On the Origin of the Species
Embracing of the goodness of man and his ability to come to Christ by a decision without the need for the re-generating work of the Holy Spirit
Acceptance of revivalism techniques to have people respond to the Gospel of Christ - particularly as embodied in the teaching of Charles Finney

Liberty Day History Display from 2011--pt. 2

2011-04-30T14:01:00.003-04:00

Liberty Day History Display from 2011--pt. 1

2011-04-26T08:25:00.000-04:00

More history!

We entered the history contest for Liberty Day 2011 again...and won again! We are so amazed and humbled. God clearly led David to our topic of the American Civil War, and we shook our heads in amazement all through the conference as the speakers talked about many of the things we discovered during our research for the display. God certainly had a message for the attendees that weekend!

We will post all our display board entries in parts like we posted for our 2010 display board. We should have kept track of our time involved, but we figured roughly that we probably have 200 hours collectively invested in making this display (including research, writing, designing, editing, computer "drawing" soldiers, cutting out and mounting soldiers, sewing the tablecloth, etc.). Whew! :-)

Liberty Day History Display from 2010--pt. 19

2011-04-21T11:38:00.004-04:00

The second board with paper soldiers depicted the 1798 Battle of the Pyramids in Egypt. Napoleon won the battle against the British-allied Mamluks and became very popular in France. He would use his reputation as a great general to gain his election as Emperor of France. Napoleon was forced out of Egypt because his fleet was destroyed at the Battle of the Nile.

Free Sufficiency of Scripture 2009 Audio Downloads!

2011-04-20T20:17:00.004-04:00

The National Center for Family Integrated Churches is currently offering their 2009 Conference audios of The Sufficiency of Scripture for free.

Go here to download all the messages.

Be blessed!

Liberty Day History Display from 2010--pt. 18

2011-04-20T10:59:00.007-04:00

In addition to all of the writing for our history display, we also made two boards with paper soldiers. The first is of the Battle of Yorktown with 318 soldiers and 4 cannons. Paper soldiers found at Junior General. For more pictures of the soldiers, see the Liberty Day Slideshow.

The generals at Yorktown

Top (from left to right) Washington, Lafayette, Rochambeau, Muhlenberg, Hamilton

Bottom (from left to right) Cornwallis, O'Hara

Liberty Day History Display from 2010--pt. 17

2011-04-18T16:45:00.007-04:00

George III and Taxes

The monarch who began the American Revolution was George III. The cause: taxes after a successful war. Britain had won the Seven Years’ War in 1763, but was deeply in debt as a result. This gave them a pretext to tax the American colonists--without representation in Parliament. The colonists justly protested this act of usurping God-given liberties and begged the British to cease. After years of unanswered and slighted petitions, lawful armed interposition was required on Lexington Green.

Louis XVI and Taxes

The monarch who began the French Revolution was Louis XVI. The cause: taxes. The reason is a little different than the American War for Independence, but one reason was the debt on France because of winning the Bourbon War, which includes the American Revolution and other theaters of war (the French finances were also in trouble after the Seven Years’ War). The other reason was the excessive spending of the French court, especially blamed on Queen Marie-Antoinette. The French hated the Austrians, having fought them for 200 years, and Marie-Antoinette was not only an Austrian, but the daughter of the late Austrian Empress, Maria Theresa. Her spending and nationality inflamed the French against her until at last they revolted against the high taxes and stormed the Bastille.

The king's heart is in the hand of the LORD, as the rivers of water: he turneth it whithersoever he will. (Proverbs 21:1, KJV)

Liberty Day History Display from 2010--pt. 16

2011-04-15T07:52:00.003-04:00

Napoleon

And ye shall cry out in that day because of your king which ye shall have chosen you; and the LORD will not hear you in that day. (1 Samuel 8:18, KJV)

God was using the French Revolution to bring the dictator Napoleon to power, as a judgment on the French. After participating in the successful recapture of Toulon from the British and leading a brilliant campaign in Italy, the popular commander was sent to Egypt. He added the Battle of the Pyramids to his victories, but his fleet was crushed at the Battle of the Nile. This forced him to sail back to France, and with his tremendous popular support, he ousted the government and the Council of Five Hundred (the French Congress) and appointed himself First Consul. In 1804, Napoleon dispensed with this worthless title and was “elected” Emperor. He began the Napoleonic Wars, cunningly using the revolutionary fervor to his advantage. For ten years, Napoleon was unbeatable on the battlefield and wielded government power to an extent that France had not seen for one hundred years since the “Sun King” Louis XIV. But at last the allied armies arrived near Paris and forced the dictator into exile on Elba. He escaped, rallied an army and chased Louis XVIII out of France. With his new army, he attacked the British, the Germans, the Prussians, the Belgians, and the Dutch in Belgium. The armies met at Waterloo, and Napoleon was crushed. After the battle, he surrendered and was exiled to the distant island of St. Helena, where he died.

Liberty Day History Display from 2010--pt. 15

2011-04-14T08:52:00.005-04:00

George Washington

And I have been with thee whithersoever thou hast walked, and have cut off all thine enemies from before thee, and have made thee a name like the name of the great men that are in the earth. (1 Chronicles 17:8, KJV)

George Washington was the general who led the patriots to victory during the War for Independence. When the war ended, he was so popular he could have become a military dictator. Instead, he resigned his commission, and shortly afterward was elected President. While President, he carefully guarded American liberty in law from the insidious French revolutionaries who were eager on exporting their lawless license to America. He provided a perfect example of what is meant by a servant-leader, always seeking the benefit of the people.

There is a myth about George Washington that must be cleared up, and this one is a favorite of secular historians: George Washington was a Deist.

George Washington never claimed to be a Deist. Throughout his extensive writings, not a shred of evidence has been found that explicitly or even implicitly says, “I, George Washington, am a Deist.” The revisionist historiographers systematically discard Washington’s many affirmations of Christian truth at church, his orthodox vocabulary for God, his emphasis on Christian behavior, and much more in order to present Washington as a Deist. Dr. Lillback dealt with this issue in his massive book, George Washington’s Sacred Fire. But my writing, or even Dr. Lillback’s writing, is not a deathblow to those who stoutly believe Washington was a Deist. Why? Because they will not give up this idea, no matter the facts. Washington is the most important founder by far, and if he can be made to agree with secularists, they have quite an advantage in the battle for the souls of the people, and the soul of the country. Thankfully, he can’t agree with them, at least not without help from liberal historians and their editing.

George Washington can be inserted not only into the ranks of great leaders, but into the ranks of Christians as well as shown by his extensive writings.

Liberty Day History Display from 2010--pt. 14

2011-04-13T08:43:00.005-04:00

The Naval Battles that Ended the Revolutions

They that go down to the sea in ships, that do business in great waters; These see the works of the LORD, and his wonders in the deep. For he commandeth, and raiseth the stormy wind, which lifteth up the waves thereof. (Psalm 107:23-25, KJV)

A sea battle ended the American War for Independence. It was the Battle of the Chesapeake, where the French Admiral de Grasse beat a British fleet under Admirals Graves and Hood. The battle was inconclusive, both sides took some casualties, but the French won strategically, which was incidentally one of the few British naval defeats from 1620-1820. They chased the British away and blockaded the Chesapeake Bay. The French Navy kept the Royal Navy from helping Cornwallis at Yorktown, who was now left to fend for himself against the Franco-American army outnumbering him 2 to 1.

The French Revolution ended with a sea battle as well, but indirectly. A rising general, Napoleon Bonaparte, was successfully campaigning in Egypt, winning the Battle of the Pyramids against the British-allied Egyptian Mamluks. He had his fleet stationed off the Nile River. The British Royal Navy led by a new, daring admiral named Horatio Nelson, engaged the French in a moonlight battle. The French flagship L’Orient blew up, and of the remaining 16 ships, 12 were lost, most captured by the British. So how did a French naval disaster and a prestigious British victory end the French Revolution? This battle forced Napoleon out of Egypt. He sailed past the British ships, and arrived in France. When Napoleon set foot on French soil, he promptly kicked the Directory out, and established his own government, culminating in his coronation in 1804.

Liberty Day History Display from 2010--pt. 13

2011-04-12T07:46:00.005-04:00

Beginning: Lexington and Concord

The American War for Independence began when the British regulars wanted to search for hidden weapons in the cities of Lexington and Concord, Massachusetts. The British knew that arms are necessary to keep and defend liberty, and they wanted to seize and destroy them to protect their unlawful abuse of the law.

Paul Revere warned the local “minutemen” in his famous midnight ride, and John Parker rallied the group of them on Lexington Green to oppose this unjust search. Major John Pitcairn of the Royal Marines ordered the colonists to disperse and lay down their arms. They began to move off the battlefield, but kept their muskets. Someone (historians have no clue who he was, nor even to whom he owed allegiance) fired “the shot heard ‘round the world,” and the British regulars opened fire. Eight minutemen were killed with shots in the back, while only one Britisher was wounded.

Beginning: Storming the Bastille

Just as the American War for Independence began with a search for weapons, so did the French Revolution. The Paris mobs were rioting, but they had no arms. It was proposed that the mob storm the Bastille, tear it to pieces, collect the weapons, and free whomever the hated queen Marie-Antoinette had sentenced to imprisonment. Oddly enough, only six prisoners tenanted the Bastille, and none of them were imprisoned for revolutionary ideas (most were in there for forgery). The Bastille was a financial drain on the King, and was about to be closed, but it represented the power of the French crown. Reenforced by treacherous soldiers, the mob agreed and attacked, suffering ninety-six casualties. At last the defenders surrendered to the mob and gave up the Bastille. The soldiers lost their heads when they surrendered, and the Governor was murdered as well while he was escorted to a “trial”.

Liberty Day History Display from 2010--pt. 12

2011-04-11T09:13:00.006-04:00

The Faithful Remnant

Since the days of our fathers have we been in a great trespass unto this day; and for our iniquities have we, our kings, and our priests, been delivered into the hand of the kings of the lands, to the sword, to captivity, and to a spoil, and to confusion of face, as it is this day.

And now for a little space grace hath been shewed from the LORD our God, to leave us a remnant to escape, and to give us a nail in his holy place, that our God may lighten our eyes, and give us a little reviving in our bondage. (Ezra 9:7-8 KJV)

Just as God preserved a remnant in Israel, so He did in the chaos of the French Revolution. The region of La Vendee revolted when her ministers and bishops were required to be licensed and approved by the state. They were also concerned about being drafted for the Revolutionary army. The Vendeans began an armed counter-revolution against the revolutionaries. Several battles were fought until the Vendean counter-revolution was at last brutally crushed. One Revolutionary general boasted of the slaughter not only of Vendean fighting men, but also of women, children, and those who surrendered. While Vendee was pacified, another group known as the Chouans (Tawny Owls) continued the fight. Though the region was now disarmed, their dauntless spirit had not been quenched. During Napoleon’s last bid at power, known as the “Hundred Days,” Vendeans refused to support him and Napoleon sent an army to fight them while he marched to Waterloo.

For an account of the War in the Vendee see No Surrender! by G. A. Henty.

This badge would be worn by a loyal Vendean, either an officer or a foot-soldier. “Dieu le Roi” translates to “God the King”

Liberty Day History Display from 2010--pt. 11

2011-04-08T08:28:00.004-04:00

The Irish Rebellion

The LORD thundered from heaven, and the most High uttered his voice. And he sent out arrows, and scattered them; lightning, and discomfited them. (2 Samuel 22:14-15, KJV)

The Irish Rebellion broke out in 1798. The Society of United Irishmen began a rebellion designed to oust the British from Ireland forever. The French Revolutionary Government decided to send help to the Irish because both countries hated the English. The French put together a navy and well over 10,000 soldiers and set sail for Ireland in what they termed the Expedition d’Irlande. The expedition was able to anchor near Ireland, but terrible storms prevented it from giving any support or landing any troops. With many ships at the bottom of the sea from storms and a few captured by the British, the remainder of the French fleet returned to France. The Irish Rebellion was crushed by the British at the Battle of Vinegar Hill, and God’s Hand was clearly seen in preserving the British Isles and confounding Revolutionary France.

Liberty Day History Display from 2010--pt. 10

2011-04-07T09:36:00.006-04:00

The Glorious First of June

Whatsoever the LORD pleased, that did he in heaven, and in earth, in the seas, and all deep places.--Psalm 135:6, KJV

The Glorious First of June was a victory for the Royal Navy and a defeat for the French. Admiral Howe was ordered to intercept a valuable grain convoy bound for Paris, while French Admiral Villeret was tasked with defending it. Both sides were searching for the convoy, when the Royal Navy found Villeret’s squadron. With the weather on his side, Lord Howe ordered his fleet straight into the French line. He hoped to break the formation into a confused mass of ships and batter each singly. Unfortunately, a few captains disregarded his orders, throwing the entire plan into jeopardy. Howe nevertheless took the remainder of the fleet and smashed the French line to pieces. His ship alone, the Queen Charlotte, fiercely attacked and badly damaged the French flagship, Montagne, after firing on two other French men-o’-war. The British captains, though taking losses, were successful. Admiral Villeret at last retreated and the British captured several badly-damaged French vessels. The battle was another British naval triumph, but the grain convoy and much of Villeret’s squadron escaped. While God defeated the French, he also showed them mercy by allowing the grain convoy to reach the starving people of Paris.

Liberty Day History Display from 2010--pt. 9

2011-04-06T08:23:00.003-04:00

The Battle of Yorktown

For thou hast girded me with strength unto the battle: thou hast subdued under me those that rose up against me. (Psalm 18:39, KJV)

Yorktown was the last major battle in the American War for Independence. As at other times throughout this war, God’s hand of Providence was again shown in orchestrating events resulting in the American victory at this decisive conflict. God used the strategic French naval victory in the Battle of the Chesapeake to strand Lord Cornwallis from any reinforcements and provisions via the seas. He further aided the American cause by allowing them to capture Redoubts #9 and #10, which placed the Americans within point-blank cannon range of the city of Yorktown. With the heavy cannon fire against the British forces, Lord Cornwallis decided it was time to retreat via ship across the James River. However, the Sovereign God sent a thunderstorm preventing the planned British evacuation. Having been thwarted from this escape, the British called for a cease fire and then surrendered the following day. On October 19, 1781 (just two days after the British waved the white flag), the Articles of Capitulation were signed outlining the terms of the surrender. The Sovereign God of Heaven was moving all the necessary pieces into place to establish a free and independent nation.

Liberty Day History Display from 2010--pt. 8

2011-04-05T07:54:00.005-04:00

The Battle of Trenton

The LORD your God, who is going before you, will fight for you, as he did for you in Egypt, before your very eyes (Deuteronomy 1:29, KJV)

In December 1776, morale was low in the American camp and thousands of enlistments expired. General George Washington ordered an attack on Trenton in New Jersey. It was scheduled for December 26, 1776. The Continental Army crossed the Delaware River on Christmas night. God’s Mighty Hand was seen by sending a storm that night. While it did slow down the Americans, it also led the Hessian forces (who were helping the British) to not send out a patrol. Then after the arrival of the Continental Army at Trenton, the Hessians incorrectly thought that they were completely surrounded, even though the passage to the south was open. The Americans gained a sound victory. Of greater importance, the victory boosted morale and troop re-enlistments. As a sign of God’s Providence, not a single American life was lost during the conflict.

Liberty Day History Display from 2010--pt. 7

2011-04-04T12:46:00.004-04:00

The Battle of Long Island

He delivered me from my strong enemy, and from them that hated me: for they were too strong for me. (2 Samuel 22:18, KJV)

The providential hand of God Almighty can be seen in times of advancing victory, as well as in times of retreating defeat. The Battle of Long Island was a decisive British triumph and yet God’s omnipotent hand led the American troops in their escape, preventing further casualties. It was August 1776 and the situation was bleak for the American troops as they were outnumbered by the British forces by a 2 to 1 margin. After suffering heavy losses, an American council of war was held and the decision was made that the army would retreat. The plan was to evacuate across the East River during the night of August 29. However, the retreat took longer than expected continuing on into the morning. God intervened in a powerful way by sending a thick fog that masked the clandestine departure once the sun rose and not a single life was lost during the evacuation. Less than 1 hour after the last boat escaped, the fog lifted!

Liberty Day History Display from 2010--pt. 6

2011-04-01T08:57:00.005-04:00

Protestant Reformation: The Foundation of

American War for Independence

The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom: a good understanding have all they that do his commandments: (Psalm 111:10, KJV)

The Protestant Reformation led by people like Martin Luther, John Calvin, and John Knox provided the theological foundation for the American War for Independence. This foundation was built upon by the leaders of the Great Awakening in the American colonies during the 1730s and 1740s. Based on this solid biblical teaching, the colonists came to the following sound conclusions from Holy Scripture:

A ruler is not above the Law of God, but must be subject to it
Obedience to civil government is required when that ruler is acting consistent with the power given to him by God Almighty
The citizens of a country are responsible for holding their civil government accountable for their actions
Negotiations between the people and the government is to be employed whenever the political leaders have overstepped their jurisdiction
Resistance against a civil government is necessary and justified when negotiations have not led to restoring biblical boundaries for that government

Based on these conclusions, the American colonists engaged in carrying out what Patrick Henry referred to as a “holy cause of liberty” by engaging in the American War for Independence. Almighty God saw fit to bless those who were seeking to be obedient to His Holy Word and establish a new nation: The United States of America.

Renaissance: Foundation for the French Revolution

Hath not God made foolish the wisdom of this world? (1 Corinthians 1:20, KJV)

The ideas that were supported by the French Revolution have many roots in the Renaissance period of history (which occurred during the 14^th through 17^th centuries). Rather than being a golden age of increase in the refinement of culture, the period of the Renaissance led to the decline of godly virtues. This cultural degeneration occurred by upholding the following humanistic views:

Promoting philosophical separation between the sacred and the secular rather than viewing every aspect of life as under God’s authority
Removing God from education
Favoring human worldly philosophy over biblical Christianity
Glorifying the individual above God
Worshiping human achievement

These principles were exemplified in the man-centered philosophy that undergirded the French Revolution, which was characterized by the belief that human effort can establish a utopian state. The Lord God Omnipotent showed His hand in opposition to this worldview by thwarting the cause of the French and giving them the just reward of oppression by ushering in Napoleon as their dictatorial leader.

Napoleon is reported to have seized the crown from the Pope at his coronation and placed it on his own head. A good illustration of “glorifying the individual!”

Liberty Day History Display from 2010--pt. 5

2011-03-31T11:09:00.004-04:00

Deism: The Driving Religion of the French Revolution

Woe unto them that are wise in their own eyes, and prudent in their own sight! (Isaiah 5:21, KJV)

The prevailing worldview held by those involved in the French Revolution was that of deism. While deists acknowledge that a supreme being created the universe, they typically reject the existence of miracles and God’s governance in the affairs of men. A deist holds to man’s reason and observation as the highest authority, while failing to acknowledge that it is the God of the Bible who makes that reason and observation possible. This philosophy fits well with the French Revolution of glorifying man and his achievements.

The French people were highly influenced by the principles of deism and the Enlightenment, including the writings of American Thomas Paine. While not being well-liked within the American colonies, the works of Paine were widely accepted among the French. Paine became well known for his book The Age of Reason, which promoted gaining truth apart from God’s divine revelation. We know from Holy Scripture that God opposes the proud (James 4:6). In looking at the French Revolution, we see that man was placing his own ideas above those of the Lord. The result was that this war garnered the opposition of God Almighty. May we not fall into the trap of believing that man’s reason is the supreme court of appeal, but rather let us humbly admit our need for God’s grace to open our eyes to truth.

Happy 21st Anniversary to My Beloved Husband!

2011-03-30T14:25:00.005-04:00

Today celebrates 21 years of blessed marriage! I am so thankful to God for giving me the husband he did. I am reposting a video made last year by my son Jordan and me as a 20th anniversary surprise to David. It never fails to bring tears to his eyes on the first couple notes of the song.

Please click on the above link as I can't figure out how to get the video on here again! The link will take you to the original post with the video.

Liberty Day History Display from 2010--pt. 4

2011-03-30T08:39:00.006-04:00

Christianity: The Driving Religion of the American

War for Independence

Blessed is the nation whose God is the LORD; and the people whom he hath chosen for his own inheritance. (Psalm 33:12, KJV)

Biblical Christianity dominated the American colonies from their very inception. The emphasis on a commitment to the Lord Jesus Christ can be seen in the initial Virginia Charter of 1606. This document indicated that the primary purpose for the English colonization of the New World was the “... propagating of Christian Religion...”. The influence of Christianity in the American fabric of society can be further illustrated by the following examples:

The Mayflower Compact, which stated that the Pilgrims were organizing for “the glory of God and the advancement of the Christian faith”
Early colonial laws, which were enacted based on Biblical principles, such as private property ownership, innocence until proven guilty, and religious freedom
Requirements for civil offices, which included profession of faith in the Lord Jesus Christ
Individual state constitutions which consistently invoked the importance of morality, piety, and the Christian religion

The One True God is always faithful to His Holy Word, which, as we are vividly taught in Deuteronomy 28, includes blessing those who are obedient to Him. God Almighty shed His grace on America in its early days and to be restored to greatness, we must be committed to taking every thought captive to the obedience of the Blessed Redeemer.

Liberty Day History Display from 2010--pt. 3

2011-03-29T12:14:00.004-04:00

Liberty Day History Display from 2010--pt. 2

2011-03-28T08:17:00.003-04:00

Timeline from 1000 A.D. to 2010 featuring the split between the Renaissance and the Reformation.

Liberty Day History Display from 2010

2011-03-19T07:12:00.005-04:00

We have attended Liberty Day since 2008. It is an event where we enjoyed great fellowship, and have learned much about God's providence through history.

Last year, we entered their brand new history display contest. We were thrilled and humbled that our display won the contest! We worked together as a family, and we learned so much in the process. Since this year's Liberty Day is only a week away, we are working diligently on a new display.

Our display last year was about The American War for Independence contrasted with The French Revolution. I will post our articles from the display board a few at a time so that you can learn what we discovered about God's hand of providence at this time in history.

The blog photo is of us with our display board.

God bless you as you marvel at God's working through all of time.

The wicked are overthrown, and are not: but the house of the righteous shall stand. (Proverbs 12:7, KJV)

Family Newsletter--Love the Church (Part 4)

2011-03-13T21:07:00.003-04:00

Amara made some drawings inspired by the Love the Church conference.

Family Newsletter--Love the Church (Part 3)

2011-03-12T20:01:00.005-05:00

The Bride of Christ and Her Competitors

by Jordan Jachim

Loving your local church is critical for you. The Church is the most important of the three jurisdictions (family, church, state) because only the Church universal (that is, all believers) will remain throughout eternity. The Family structure is gone when one reaches heaven, and the State is burned when the earth is destroyed, but the Church is in Heaven for ever and ever. However, the Church universal and local today is downplayed, downgraded and forgotten. Often, it seems now to be nothing more than a club. How different this is to Christ’s view of the Church as His Bride. Think of that! The Bride of Christ!

There is a challenger to gain and keep the loyalties and affections of her members. Enter the bad guy: man. Man’s selfish sinful nature wants nothing to do with the Bride of Christ. Even once a person is saved by Christ, his old nature is still present, not being completely overcome here, but in heaven. I wish to touch on just a few ways than man endeavors to steal the time, dollars, energy, prayer, tears, sweat, and blood from Christ’s Church.

Some of the Church’s rivals are found in the other two jurisdictions (see above). Many see their family, sleep, or work, as more important than their local church. When properly working, no jurisdiction should steal from another. But in so many cases, the jurisdictions are not properly working. Many in the church are looking, not to the Lord of Heaven, their Bridegroom, but to a rival sovereign, the State, to solve their problems. They believe that if only we can just pack enough seats in the Congress with “good guys” or elect a particular face to sit in the White House, all problems will be solved, or most of them, anyway.

What is the problem here? Has the author inferred that politics is worthless or dirty? Far be it from me. I believe Christians working in politics (whether voting or holding an office) is vital. And I firmly believe that if Christians don’t work in politics, others will fill the slack. For too many Christians, though, working for a political party or candidate has all but eclipsed working for one’s local church. Rather than working for “Our Father” that “Thy kingdom come, thy will be done, in earth as it is in heaven” many Christians appear to be working for “Our favorite candidate” that “Thy election to the White House come, thy will be done in Congress”.

So, on which side of the fence are you? Analyze the questions. These questions are not good vs. bad, but good vs. best.

Do you know more about a particular candidate than about your pastor?

Do you know a particular party’s platform better than your church’s creed?

Are American laws more important to you than Biblical laws (from which English laws are derived, and after them, American laws)?

Is a speech by your favorite politician during election time worth more to you than a sermon?

Trying to fix the State exclusive of the Church or Family is like putting the cart before the horse: it won’t go anywhere permanently. If the Church is reformed, her members can influence the State, and reforming the family makes reforming the church a whole lot easier. But none of these can be reformed unless every family member, church member, and citizen reads and applies the Bible. And reading and applying the Bible is the best way to show your love for both the Church and Her Lord.

“May Christ be praised, pre-eminent, adored;

I love the Church because I love Her Lord.”

(I Love the Church by Chris Anderson)

Family Newsletter--Love the Church (Part 2)

2011-03-10T20:38:00.014-05:00

Love the Church Like the "Birkenhead Drill"

By Jordan Jachim

“Where, then, does this rule which prevailed in the sinking Titanic come from? It comes from God, through the faith of Jesus of Nazareth. “It is the ideal of self- sacrifice. It is the rule that ‘the strong ought to bear the infirmities of those that are weak.’ It is the divine revelation which is summed up in the words: “Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends.’”—Dr. Henry Van Dyke

On February 26, 1852, a British troopship named H. M. S. Birkenhead struck a reef, and all knew she was doomed to sink. The water was filled with sharks and the lifeboats were too few. But the brave British soldiers filled the lifeboats with the women and children, as they themselves stood on deck, ready to die. One of the few survivors of the soldiers, Corporal W. Smith, 12th Foot, who swam through the shark-infested sea to land, wrote:

“Yes, that all-conquering discipline—for of all the women and children not one is lost. Because of that, and because we obeyed—I and the rest of us are satisfied.”

Fifty years later, an ocean liner named Titanic was taking her maiden voyage across the North Atlantic. She struck an iceberg, and her lifeboats were inadequate for the number of passengers aboard. Again the men stood on deck as women and children filled the lifeboats. Benjamin Guggenheim, a businessman who had $95,000,000 to his name, said to a member of the crew as the ship sank, “I am willing to remain and play the man’s game, if there are not enough boats for more than the women and children. ... No woman shall be left aboard this ship because Ben Guggenheim was a coward.” And Ben Guggenheim was no blusterer. He went down with the ship. His words speak for many of the men on board the Titanic.

In 1942, a secret commando force of British troops under Major Hugh Seagrim was operating in Burma against the Japanese. The locals aided him in sabotage on the Japanese. The Japanese arrested and tortured the locals, hoping they would betray Seagrim. Not one of them did, but Major Seagrim and eight of his men surrendered to spare the people from further torture. Seagrim said that he should be executed and his men spared, because they had only been following his orders. The eight men demanded to die with their Major, and all nine were executed.

(picture from King & Country Toy Soldiers)

I was not a witness to these deeds of heroism, but I did see men act in the spirit of chivalry as set forth by the men of the Birkenhead and Titanic. At a conference we attended last December, one of the sessions was jam-packed and more people kept coming. All the seats were filled, so entire families—men, women, and children—were standing to hear the upcoming important lecture. Quietly, some men arose and stood or sat by the wall, leaving the seats for a few women, but there were not enough for all. An announcement came from the podium that some women were standing, and, as though an unseen signal had been relayed through the auditorium, most of the men— old men, young men, and men with seated families—got out of their seats without a murmur or a complaint.

“Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends.” (John 15:13, KJV) This is how Christ loved the Church. He bled and died for Her.

“Wherefore, seeing we also are compassed about by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which doth so easily beset us, and let us run with patience the race that is set before us, Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith; who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God.” (Hebrews 12:1-2, KJV)

In loving sacrificially, we have the example first of Christ, but also of the soldiers aboard the Birkenhead, the gentlemen on the Titanic, Major Seagrim and his commandos, the men at the conference, and “so great a cloud of witnesses”. May we love and sacrifice as they loved and sacrificed.

Family Newsletter--Love the Church (Part 1)

2011-03-10T20:00:00.002-05:00

We attended NCFIC Conference "Love the Church" this past December. We were inspired to make our next family newsletter from Valentines Day about loving the church.

Loving the Church by Being Faithful Servants of Christ

by David Jachim

In Holy Scripture, God provides us with many beautiful illustrations for the Church of Jesus Christ. These illustrations can be classified according to various themes including national metaphors (for example, a holy nation in 1 Peter 2:9 and God’s people in Revelation 21:3), religious metaphors (for example, a royal priesthood in 1 Peter 2:9 and a living sacrifice in Romans 12:2), and family metaphors (for example, the household of God in Ephesians 2:19 and sons of God in 1 John 3:2). One of the most beautiful and vivid pictures of the Church is given in Ephesians 5 where the relationship between Christ and His followers is analogized to that of the marriage union between a husband and wife.

The love that is shared between a husband and his dear wife is the closest and most intimate of any human relationship. God uses the picture of that relationship to depict not only the beauty and sacredness of the roles of the marriage partners, but also to communicate deep truths about His love and commitment to His people. As we see God’s love and His relationship to the church, we will see our responsibilities to Him and how we can be loving His church.

In Ephesians 5:25-33, there is much that we can learn in how we as born-again believers should live in relation to our loving spiritual head, the Lord Jesus Christ. From this passage, consider the following ways that you can be loving the body of Christ:

Love the church by willingly, lovingly, and joyfully serving Christ out of your gratitude for His sacrifice for you. Husbands, love your wives, even as Christ also loved the church, and gave himself for it (Ephesians 5:25, KJV) Christ’s love for the Church is expressed through His willingness to give himself up for it - particularly as evidenced by His sacrificial death on the Cross. This supreme act of love should result in us responding to Him with gratitude by being a radiant servant for the furthering of His Kingdom. As we learn to serve Him, we will be showing a love for the church.

Love the church by committing yourself to being a diligent student of God’s Word through knowing and applying what God teaches you through the Bible. That he might sanctify and cleanse it with the washing of water by the word, That he might present it to himself a glorious church, not having spot, or wrinkle, or any such thing; but that it should be holy and without blemish. (Ephesians 5:26-27, KJV) Not only did Christ yield His life for His bride the Church, but He also progressively works in the lives of His people to conform them into His image. This work is accomplished through the power of the perfect, inerrant (without error), and entirely sufficient Word of God. Since God uses the Bible in sanctifying us into godly, holy character, we need to know His Word. Commit yourself to reading, studying, meditating on, and memorizing Holy Scripture. As you do so, allow the Lord to wash you through His truth so that you can be a holy follower of Christ without spot or blemish. As you are changed, also look for opportunities to testify of the work that God Almighty is doing within you so that you can bring honor and glory to the Name of your blessed Redeemer.

Love the church by carrying out the specific works that God has planned for you to advance the cause of Christ. For no man ever yet hated his own flesh; but nourisheth and cherisheth it, even as the Lord the church: For we are members of his body, of his flesh, and of his bones. (Ephesians 5:29-30, KJV) All who are born-again believers by the grace of God are a part of His body. By being members of Christ’s body, we should be seeking to fulfill the role for which God has equipped us. Just as the human body is made up of many members and each member needs to be performing its function well in order to have a healthy physical body, so the body of Christ contains many members that need to be fulfilling the specific works that God has prepared in advance for us to do (see Ephesians 2:10) in order to have a healthy and vibrant spiritual body. If you do not know the gift(s) and how to use them in carrying out specific good works, pray to the Lord for His wisdom. Be assured that you will be furnished by your loving Heavenly Father what you need to accomplish the particular tasks that He has planned for you.

Love the church by intimately abiding in Christ through a holy pursuit to know the Lord Jesus deeply and by submitting to His loving headship. For this cause shall a man leave his father and mother, and shall be joined unto his wife, and they two shall be one flesh. This is a great mystery: but I speak concerning Christ and the church. (Ephesians 5:31-32, KJV) The intimacy that is shared within the context of marriage is likened to Christ’s relationship with the church. In order to have such intimacy, we need to abide in Him recognizing that He is the life-giving vine (John 15). This connection that we have with Christ necessitates that we have a heart of love for Him, a conviction to order our lives in a manner consistent with the Bible, a commitment to be obedient to His leading, and the discipline to spend time with Him to develop a closeness to Him that will cause the us to live all of life radiantly and joyfully.

God has a love for the church that is shown in many various manifestations, including the promises that He has given of the ultimate victory that awaits His people. Are we being a faithful bride by serving the Lord Jesus, knowing and applying God’s Word, carrying out the specific works that God has prepared for you, and abiding in Christ by seeking to know Him and submit to Him? Or are you guilty of having forsaken your love for your blessed Redeemer by seeking to fulfill your own selfish desires, planning to build your own kingdom rather than advancing His, neglecting your time with Him, and using your own reason rather than God’s revelation to make decisions? Love the church and may the world around us see this love as a testimony of the power of Christ, as indicated in John 13:35: “By this shall all men know that ye are my disciples, if ye have love one to another.” (KJV)

November Family Newsletter - Thanksgiving (Part 3)

2011-03-10T15:24:00.003-05:00

November Family Newsletter - Thanksgiving (Part 2)

2010-12-01T22:29:00.001-05:00

Pilgrims: Myth vs. Reality

By Jordan Jachim

Because the Pilgrims are so important to the history of the English colonies in the New World, they have been subjected to several persistent myths (as all great men of history are). So what are these myths? You have doubtless seen the differences between the two included pictures, and I will explain some of them.

Traditionally, the Pilgrims are shown with a bell-mouthed blunderbuss. It is true the blunderbuss was invented in the 1600’s, but only the cavalry carried it, because they needed a short, easy-to-reload gun. The blunderbuss was mainly used by coach drivers in the 1700’s to repel highwaymen, or sailors fighting in close quarters, because it was only accurate at short ranges. The Pilgrims, in common with all fighting men of the 17^th Century, would have carried a matchlock musket, which was longer and more accurate than the blunderbuss.

Figure 1: Matchlock Musket (42” barrel)

Figure 2: Blunderbuss (15” barrel)

Facial hair for men is also inaccurately shown. Pilgrims would not have worn mustaches without beards, nor beards without mustaches. The only clean-shaven men were those too young to grow beards, and some of the gentry. Pilgrims wore beards and mustaches, or mustaches and goatees.

The popular “sugar-loaf” hat would have been worn, but the Pilgrim men also had knitted “Monmouth” caps, and round-hats turned up on one side, along with metal “Morion” helmets for soldiers.

Figure 3:

Top: Monmouth cap (left) and Morion helmet (right)

Bottom: “Sugar loaf” hat (left) and round-hat (right)

Collars are shown larger than the Pilgrims really wore. The Pilgrims’ collars were shorter, and often went right around the neck. They did not wear something that looks like an oversized modern shirt collar.

The somber black-and-white color scheme is just plain wrong. The Pilgrims, in common with other Englishmen, wore colorful outfits. In fact, black was an expensive color to dye clothes in the 17^th century, though the preachers wore it.

Log cabins were not built by Pilgrims, but by Swedish settlers in 1638.

The hair of the women would be pinned up under the hat, not worn loose (definitely no bangs streaming out from under the cap, ugh!), while the common aprons are much too small.

The Pilgrims did not sail to America for religious freedom. They left England for freedom, but they went to Holland, not America. They left because the Dutch were a bad influence on their children, and because a truce during the 30 Years’ War might expire soon.

Buckles are dished out liberally to our mythical Pilgrims, placed on hats (definitely not), waist belts (sometimes), and shoes (wrong). The Pilgrims did wear buckles on their shoulder belts.

Every man carried a dagger, and many had swords.

While the real Pilgrims wore doublets (like a jacket that only comes to one’s waist, with or without sleeves) with coats on top, the mythical ones seem to wear coats exclusively.

The Indians to go with the inaccurate Pilgrims look as if they were pulled from the Wild West. The real Indians the Pilgrims met would have looked more like Mohawks.

The list could go on, but this article shows that the modern perception of Pilgrims is highly inaccurate.

Much of the information on myths is taken from The Thanksgiving Primer. The blunderbuss and matchlock photos courtesy of www.militaryheritage.com, hats from the collection of Aidan Jachim.

November Family Newsletter - Thanksgiving (Part 1)

2010-11-24T23:01:00.000-05:00

Offering Thanksgiving to the Lord

By David Jachim

As we draw near the Thanksgiving holiday, let us turn our attention to God, the Maker of Heaven and Earth, and His Holy Word - looking for His wisdom about how and for what we should be thankful. The Bible teaches that we are to offer thanksgiving to the Lord God Omnipotent. “And when ye will offer a sacrifice of thanksgiving unto the LORD, offer it at your own will.” (Psalm 50:14, KJV). The Hebrew word that is most often translated “thanksgiving” throughout the Old Testament is “toda”. The meaning of this word involves an extending of the hand and usually signifies adoration. Based on this meaning, our thanksgiving to the Lord should be filled with praise and adoration. This Thanksgiving, let us all be truly giving thanks to the Name that is above all names by honoring and glorifying Him for Who He is and what He has done. Consider the following specific issues for which we can all be thankful as children of the King:

God’s gift of salvation - Our salvation in Christ is nothing that any one of us have earned or deserve. Our sin nature and our specific acts of rebellion toward God’s Law deserve hellfire and eternal damnation. The very idea that God allows us to have ANY means of escaping this just judgment is nothing short of amazing grace - and how sweet is its sound. Give thanks that “he does not treat us as our sins deserve or repay us according to our iniquities.” (Psalm 103:10, NIV)
God’s perfect and inerrant Word - The Bible is an incredible gift that God has given to us for teaching, doctrine, reproof, and instruction in righteousness for the purpose of thoroughly equipping us for every good work (2 Timothy 3:16,17). Praise the Lord that you can read, study, meditate upon, memorize, and apply God’s Holy Word. Scripture is sufficient for every area of faith and practice. It will be a light to our path giving us clear direction if we will diligently and rightfully use it.
God’s Holy Spirit - What an amazing truth that not only has God given us the gift of His Word, but He has sent His Holy Spirit to dwell within us to help us properly understand, interpret, apply, and recall the truth communicated by the Lord. Show gratitude to the Lord for graciously giving the Counselor that lovingly guides His children into God’s perfect truth. “And hope maketh not ashamed; because the love of God is shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Ghost which is given unto us.” (Romans 5:5, KJV)
God’s sovereignty - Praise the Lord that our God reigns! He is in control of all things and He is working out His plan and purpose here on this earth as well as in heaven. Our hearts should be filled with gratefulness that our God is King of kings and Lord of lords both now and forever. “The LORD shall reign for ever, even thy God, O Zion, unto all generations. Praise ye the LORD.” (Psalm 146:10, KJV)
God’s love - God IS love and provides us with the capacity to love. While God’s love is perfect, our love is imperfect because we are sinful human creatures. Nevertheless, we should be ever grateful that He has given us the incredible gift of being able to see His love and has given to us the ability to love. God demonstrates His love for us in many different ways, including the gift of life on this earth, the blessings that He provides while on this planet, and the glorious hope that we have of the life to come. “I am persuaded, that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come, Nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.” (Romans 8:38-39, KJV)
God’s faithfulness - The God that we serve is faithful to His covenant. Thank the Lord that He is just and shows His faithfulness whether we are breaking His covenant or are walking consistent with it. He will bless us when we are upholding His Law and will discipline us when we are in rebellion against that Law. “Know therefore that the LORD thy God, he is God, the faithful God, which keepeth covenant and mercy with them that love him and keep his commandments to a thousand generations” (Deuteronomy 7:9, KJV)
God’s holiness - God is perfect in character and His perfection is prominently shown in His holiness. He has nothing in Him that would mar this perfect holiness. In the book of Revelation, He is praised around His throne by the four living creatures as they never stop saying: “Holy, holy, holy, LORD God Almighty, which was, and is, and is to come.” (Revelation 4:8, KJV) God’s holiness should cause us to praise His Name and give thanks to Him for being beyond description.
God’s purpose - God is working in this world according to His purpose and He allows us to be a part of His purpose by preparing us to accomplish good works. “For we are God’s handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.” (Ephesians 2:10, NIV) What a gift we have been given to be a part of His plan that He has determined in advance. Offer your thanksgiving for the privilege that you have of being a part of the purpose of the Almighty!

The above list is in no way meant to be comprehensive, but details only some of the many good works and divine attributes of the One True God. All of God’s perfect character qualities, all He has already done, everything that He is presently accomplishing, and everything that He promises for the future should cause us to be giving thanks. This Thanksgiving, take the time to reflect upon the Lord God and may our Heavenly Father be pleased as you joyfully present Him with your offering of thanksgiving!

Are You a Good Person?

2010-11-18T11:06:00.000-05:00

Operation Christmas Child

2010-11-17T14:55:00.002-05:00

The last couple blog entries from our family newsletter were about Operation Christmas Child. There is yet time to be involved in this worthwhile project. The final collection date is this Sunday, November 22, 2010.

For information on why and how to pack a shoebox, along with a list of collection centers near you, go to Samaritan's Purse.

It brings great joy both to yourself and the young child who receives your box. :-)

October Family Newsletter: Giving to Others - Part 5

2010-11-16T14:51:00.003-05:00

Operation Christmas Child Packing Party

By Amara Jachim

I like packing shoe boxes for Operation Christmas Child at a packing party. First, I walk to where some people are wrapping shoe boxes with fun paper. I pick a box I like and open the lid. I go to the first table that has T-shirts, socks, and underwear. After that, I walk to the next table that has toys like small puzzles, little cars, stuffed animals, dollies, little balls, and hair things such as ponytail holders, barrettes, hair clips, and bows. On that same table there are also school supplies like pencils, colored pencils, pens, pencil sharpeners, erasers, and notepads. On the next table, there is candy like Tootsie Pops, small candy canes, and various hard candies.

On the other end of that table there is toothpaste, tooth brushes, soap, combs, hair brushes, and small purses. When I finish packing the shoebox, I walk to the end of a table that has rubber bands, tape, and labels that you mark if the box was for a boy or girl. The label also shows the age ranges of 2-4 years, 5-9 years, and 10-14 years. I pick up the pen that is nearby and check one of the squares. Finally, I put one rubber band on each end to hold it closed and then tape the label on the lid. I pack several more boxes like this and it is fun.

Happy 14th Birthday, Aidan!!

2010-11-12T05:59:00.002-05:00

Happy Birthday, Aidan!

“Wisdom is the principal thing; therefore get wisdom: and with all thy getting get understanding. (Proverbs 4:7, KJV)

It is with great joy that we celebrate your 14th birthday! You are a great blessing from the Lord and we are very grateful that God has given you as a gift to us! As your parents, we are committed to training you for your future, which includes your future as a committed husband and godly father, your future as a servant of the Lord Jesus Christ contributing to the growth and life of the church body, and your future as a disciple-maker of nations.

Birthdays are a great time to look back and to look ahead. As we look back, we are filled with gratitude for you. Our hearts are overflowing with thankfulness for your life, as well as your growth and development these past 14 years (plus 9 months as an unborn baby!). The growth that we have seen is not just physical, but also spiritual and we pray that you will continue and accelerate along the path of growing in Christ-like character. As we look ahead, we have great hope for you. We know that God has a plan and a purpose for your life and He has prepared you for good works in advance of you accomplishing them (Ephesians 2:10). We are excited to be contemplating the future knowing that we serve a great and mighty God who will use you mightily in His kingdom work if you will be humble before Him in all that you do.

As you turn 14, you are growing into manhood and as a man, you need to have wisdom and understanding. The Bible teaches us that the “fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom and that knowledge of the holy is understanding” (Proverbs 9:10). May you be seeking to be a man whose ONLY fear is the fear of the Lord and may you know that which is holy (including the perfect Word of God) so that you will have understanding.

Aidan, the foundation of faith in Christ will serve you well for a lifetime and we pray that you will be building on this foundation in the days that are to come. This building happens day-by-day and decision-by-decision. Do not allow yourself to follow a path of ease and comfort, but seek to do the hard things of standing up for what is right even against opposition and persecution. As you seek wisdom, gain understanding, and live by what the Lord teaches you, you will know God’s blessings!

Happy birthday, son! We love you dearly!

Love Always,

Dad and Mom

October Family Newsletter: Giving to Others - Part 4

2010-11-10T21:06:00.002-05:00

Why is Operation Christmas Child Good?

By Aidan Jachim

Operation Christmas Child is a worthwhile ministry to give to, because it allows poor children around the world feel that someone cares about them. First, people that they do not even know sent them things that they need and can enjoy. Second, they put money, time, and effort into sending them these things.

Most importantly, the good news of a Savior is shared with them. Each child receives a little book about Jesus in their own language and the people that give the boxes to the children pray with them. Often, they will even deliver a fun message about Jesus if there is a big group of children.

Around Christmas time, we tend to think about what we want. Acts 20:35 says, “Remember the words of the Lord Jesus, how he said, It is more blessed to give than to receive.” Operation Christmas Child provides us a good way to think of and give to others. On the first Christmas, God was thinking of others by sending his son to earth to save us from our sins. We should do the same by thinking of others. Romans 12:3 says, “For by the grace given me I say to every one of you: Do not think of yourself more highly than you ought, but rather think of yourself with sober judgment, in accordance with the measure of faith God has given you.”

WHAT WE BUY FOR SHOEBOXES

We have fun packing shoeboxes for Operation Christmas Child, and the easiest place we can find the items we need is a dollar store. We each have something we hunt down. Puzzles, games, and other toys are the gifts for which Dad and Jordan search. Mom sees how far each dollar can go on school supplies. Amara digs for the cutest, softest baby dolls.

I like finding balls and cars. I get balls with which you can bounce or play catch. The cars I choose are small ones, because they fit in shoeboxes easily. I check the cars to see if they are in good condition, that they are not scratched, cracked, or missing stickers or wheels.

When we are finished, we compare our items with each other. We make sure not to buy things that can leak or melt, such as shampoo, snow-globes, bubbles, chocolate bars, or other candy that can melt. We also avoid war-related toys because some countries have wars, so the children there would not like to be reminded of them. Once we finish inspecting, we buy everything in our cart and take it to our car. We are excited about packing our treasures in shoeboxes for others when we get home.

October Family Newsletter: Giving to Others - Part 3

2010-11-07T18:09:00.006-05:00

Don’t Tread on Me!: The Role of Civil Government in Aiding The Poor

By Jordan Jachim

In helping the needy, a common response even from Christians is, “Take government money! Let the government handle it; I’m too busy (or financially strapped, or whatever)!” Does the State have a role in helping the poor? The Apostle Paul gives us the clearest definition of the civil government’s role.

“For he [that is, the magistrate] is the minister of God to thee for good. But if thou do that which is evil, be afraid; for he beareth not the sword in vain: for he is a revenger to execute wrath upon him that doeth evil.” (Romans 13:4, KJV)

The purpose of civil government in the Bible is twofold.

First, to punish evildoers
Second, to reward those who do good

Pretty simple? No 501(c)3’s or Health Care Bills or even Stimulus Packages. Just reward the good guys and punish the bad guys, either via restitution or execution. That’s it. Wait, isn’t it nice for the State to help the poor? Beware!

God established separate and sovereign spheres of influence. There is the Family, and their symbol of authority is the rod with which to spank a rebellious child. Then there is the Church. Their symbol of authority is the keys, by which they can bar the Lord’s Supper and the fellowship of the church to a member living unrepentantly in sin. The State holds the sword to symbolize their power to deliver justice to those who have committed crimes (as defined by the Bible).

Now, if for some reason (barring Divine judgment) a man or woman becomes poor, their family is to care for them.

“But if any provide not for his own, and specially for those of his own house, he hath denied the faith, and is worse than an infidel.” (1 Timothy 5:7, KJV) Paul does not say that the state is to provide for the family, but that the father is to provide, because this passage is addressed to fathers. But what if, by some divine working of God, the father is rendered unable to provide the basic elements of life (food, clothing, shelter)?

“At the end of three years thou shalt bring forth the tithe of thine increase the same year, and shalt lay it up within thy gates: And the Levite, (because he hath no part nor inheritance with thee,) and the stranger, and the fatherless, and the widow, which are within thy gates, shall come, and shall eat and be satisfied; that the LORD thy God may bless thee in all the work of thine hand which thou doest.”

(Deuteronomy 14:28-29, KJV)

This section of verses teaches a few interesting things. First, that you must pay tithes to God’s minister. This is non-negotiable. Far from being done away with at Christ’s death, we must pay not only tithes but also offerings. The only things which we are no longer obligated to do were ceremonies which foreshadowed Christ (e.g. animal sacrifice to atone for sin showed Christ’s sacrifice). Notice the phrase “within thy gates.” This teaches a local jurisdiction of the church, as opposed to one man or committee ruling the Church catholic (“Church catholic” just means the universal church; not to be confused with the “Roman Catholic church”).

Now, look at where the tithes go after being laid up. They are fed to the Levite (the Lord’s minister) the stranger, fatherless, and widow, three groups who tend to be poor. Again, study the phrase “within thy gates.” This teaches a local division of charity. One centralized organization lording it over independent jurisdictions (e.g. the Federal government as opposed to the state governments) has no business distributing either the Lord’s tithes or the wages stolen from you by the State.

But why is local better than national, anyway?

First, the local minister or sheriff knows the people of the community more closely. To a high-level bureaucrat (either the church or state kind), the people are just so many nameless revenue-producing sources to provide nest-feathering material. The local sheriff or pastor knows the community, and their unique situation.

What if the church won’t provide for the poor? Does the State come in then? The answer is a solid “No”. If neither the family nor the local church will provide, other believers in different congregations must take up the ball that the other institutions have dropped.

Sadly, other believers must take the brunt of provision now, because the church is more interested in entertaining the congregrants than helping the needy. It will not be pleasant for those churches when the Lord asks them what they did with His money. They had anti-Biblical programs to draw the crowds, but what about the single homeschooling mom that they staunchly refused to help, even telling her to apply for government aid, get a job, and sacrifice her children to a pagan idol called public school? “Inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least of these my brethren, ye have done it unto me.” (Matthew 25:40)

As God designed it, family provides first, church provides next, while the state keeps bad guys from interfering with the provision. If the State provides, it logically follows that the State can take away. If they give you money, they can also tell you what to do with it. Our response to a government handout (of money stolen from the working man) should be the same as our founders put on their first national flag: “Don’t Tread on Me!”

October Family Newsletter: Giving to Others - Part 2

2010-11-03T22:07:00.005-04:00

Ministering Unto the Least of These

By David Jachim

One of the great teachings of Holy Scripture can be seen in Matthew 25, where Jesus is communicating the truth about the separation of the sheep from the goats at the time of the eternal judgment. In this passage, the sheep are those who are righteous having received that righteousness through their faith in Christ, while the goats are those who are unrighteous based on not bowing before God’s throne of grace to become born-again believers.

There is a message that we as children of God can learn from the words of Christ to both the sheep and the goats that should serve to spur us on toward love and good deeds. As we examine these words, we should be inspired to diligently minister in the Name that is above all names. In this passage, Christ commends the sheep for giving Him drink when He was thirsty, food when He was hungry, clothing Him when He was naked, visiting Him when He was sick, and coming to Him when He was in prison. When the people of faith question Jesus asking when they served Him in this manner, the Lord responds with the following:

“And the King shall answer and say unto them, Verily I say unto you, Inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least of these my brethren, ye have done it unto me.” (Matthew 25:40, KJV)

We see that by reaching out to others and giving to them in their time of need, the view of our Lord and Savior is that we are ministering directly unto Him. Therefore, we should first be looking to those that are around us to determine what their needs are and then we should be prayerfully considering how we can meet those needs. Christ’s words should cause us to ask the following question: “If Jesus had these needs, would I be willing to meet them?” I would hope that we would all be able to answer that question without hesitation or reservation with a resounding “YES!” While it is true that there is no way that we can meet every need that we see, that should be no excuse to be people of inaction.

God has given us a tremendous privilege as His children to be ambassadors for Him and represent Him to the world. What an incredible blessing to know that as we help others and meet their physical, emotional, and spiritual needs, we are doing that which is pleasing in the sight of the Lord. There will be at least the following five blessings that result from these acts of love and service:

First, the most obvious blessing is that the receiver will be provided something that they need.
Second, the receiver will be provided with the blessing that they are not alone on this earth in whatever situation they are facing.
Third, the giver will be blessed with the joy of being needed and able to help someone.
Fourth, the giver will be blessed with the knowledge that the Name of Christ, as well as Christ Himself, will be honored.
Fifth, the giver will be blessed in the life that is to come by the Lord Jesus Christ.

After the conversation with the sheep, the Lord addresses the goats. When the goats are told that they ignored the needs of the Lord, they question Jesus when it was that they failed to meet His needs. In a manner that is similar to the words to the sheep, our Lord indicated that by not ministering to those that God brought to them that these goats did not minister to Him. The following words of Christ represent His judgment on these goats for their failure:

Then shall he answer them, saying, Verily I say unto you, Inasmuch as ye did it not to one of the least of these, ye did it not to me. And these shall go away into everlasting punishment: but the righteous into life eternal. (Matthew 25:45-46, KJV)

Just as satisfying the needs of the least of these was honored by Jesus, so the failure to fulfill these needs is judged by our Lord and He counts this abandonment of others as being done directly against Him.

To be certain that this passage is clear, the Lord is not teaching that whether we enter into heaven is dependent upon the works that we do here on this earth. It is only by faith that we are saved from our sin and the eternal judgment that our sin deserves. While we are not saved by our works, as followers of Christ we are to be bearing good fruit (Luke 6:43-45). We should be joyfully seeking to serve others as a way to honor and glorify our Lord. Our desire should be to shine our light before men that they may see our good works and glorify our Father who is in heaven. In so doing, we will be directly serving our Lord and can look forward to receiving a reward when we stand before Him at the final judgment for carrying out these works. Go forth and serve Christ by wholeheartedly giving to those that the Lord brings to you who are in need - even the least of these!

October Family Newsletter: Giving to Others - Part 1

2010-11-01T20:54:00.009-04:00

The theme of our irregularly scheduled family newsletter for the month of October is "Giving to Others". God's Word is sufficient for every area of life and as His children we are to be reaching out to those in need with the love of Christ. May these series of articles be a great blessing to you as you read them and may you be inspired by the great privilege that we have in ministering to the needs of others. This first article is written by my beloved bride, Jill, about the Gleaning the Harvest ministry.

Gleaning the Harvest

By Jill Jachim

When a Christian homeschooling mother, for various reasons, finds herself without a husband to financially provide for her and her children, what should she do?

The world's wisdom would tell her that now she must obtain government assistance, place her children in daycare and public school, and get a job outside her home. This would create more upheaval in the already fragmented family, and most importantly, the mother would be abandoning the God-given commands to train her children and keep the home (Titus 2:5).

God's wisdom as found in Scripture, however, would instruct the mother to do all things commanded by Christ (John 15:14)--that means EVERYTHING commanded in the Bible, not simply the things that are comfortable or convenient. She is to teach her children and raise them in the nurture and admonition of the Lord (Deut. 6, Eph. 6:4). She is (as is everyone) to seek first the kingdom of God and all these things (food and clothing) shall be added unto her (Matt. 6:33).

Just how will these things be added unto her? How IS the mother who stays at home without a husband's income going to provide for her family? The Lord Himself will take care of the mother who trusts in Him (Matt. 6:26).

There are several ways the Lord will provide. To the prayerful mother, He may give creative ways to save on expenses when she is seeking solutions. Our God is a wonderful, creative God and He made us in His image. We can be very creative when we are devoting our trials to prayer and asking for help (Psalm 55:22).

Another way the Lord provides is through the mother's (and sometimes children’s) industry from the home. She may be able to sell things she no longer needs. Perhaps she even makes things that can be sold. There are so many wonderful avenues through the internet now that enable a woman to stay home and yet sell her wares. Being industrious and creative and doing her best work will often help supplement her income. This, too, is supported by the Bible in Proverbs 31.

God supports a single mother through the gifts of His people. We are to feel compassion on those that need help (1 Peter 3:8). We pray for them, and give to them.

“Pure religion and undefiled before God and the Father is this, To visit the fatherless and widows in their affliction, and to keep himself unspotted from the world.” (James 1:27, KJV). When God brings a need before you, prayerfully consider just how you can help. Even the smallest gift could make all the difference. If everyone gave even a little bit, how much better off these moms would be!

Gleaning the Harvest is an internet ministry that helps you to minister to the needs of widowed and single home schooling Christian mothers. Gleaning seeks to support the single mom who chooses to obey God’s commands to train up her children and keep the home. This ministry does not take any portion of your gift--they are simply a clearing-house. Your donation goes directly to an account of the family of your choice. It provides you with an outlet for leaving “gleanings” from your field, albeit a virtual, though not literal, one (Deut. 24:19-22). There are currently six families listed on Gleaning the Harvest, and you can read a profile on each family at the following website:

www.GleaningtheHarvest.com

One of the families on the roster of Gleaning the Harvest is my friend, Bridgette Silvas. She was suddenly thrust into the position of acting as a single mom when her husband was taken to jail a few months ago. She desires very much to obey the Lord’s commands to stay home with her 8 children--to continue to teach them at home, and to bring them up in the nurture and admonition of the Lord. She is fearful at times, yet she has learned to have greater trust in the Lord. He has shown Himself to be faithful to take care of her as she obeys Him. God has provided in part by moving in the hearts of others to give to her.

Please pray for her! She has greater responsibilities now, and needs wisdom, endurance, and grace to persevere each day. Please consider giving to her Gleaning fund if you are able. As we reach out to help others with the love of Christ, we can dispel the darkness of the world’s wisdom with the light of God’s wisdom.

Tirzah's First Year

2010-10-12T17:50:00.000-04:00

Okay, so I don't know much of what I'm doing on here. That's why it has taken me this long to load this video. I tried and tried--it was made in time for her birthday--but it wouldn't work. My son and husband took pity on me, figured it out and VOILA!! Here it is!

This is a slideshow of Tirzah's first year. It is precious to us--I love technology when it works and when it can do something special! ;-)

Happy Birthday, My Dear!!

2010-10-01T00:01:00.000-04:00

It is always a very special time to be able to celebrate a birthday in our family! It is with a heart of gratitude that I provide this post honoring the birthday of my precious bride and wife.

Jill,

Happy birthday to my best friend, the mother to my children, my precious covenant life partner, and my co-laborer in taking dominion for the Name above all names - the Lord Jesus Christ! I am so blessed to have you as my dear wife and I am thankful for who you are, for all that you do for our family, and for the bright hope that we have as we look toward the future!

Your birthday is a great time to give thanks to the Lord for the gift that He has given me in you! It is exciting to see how God is working in the lives of each of us in our family and I have great visions for the days that lie ahead for how our Heavenly Father will use the efforts of our family to bring honor and glory to His Name.

Jill, may you know how much I appreciate your words of encouragement, challenge, care, and love! You are a gift from the Lord and worth far above rubies! The Bible teaches us that:

"Whoso findeth a wife findeth a good thing, and obtaineth favour of the LORD." (Proverbs 18:22, KJV)

I am so honored to have received God's favor through His gift of you!

Happy Birthday, Jill! I love you!

Love Forever,

David

Our Oldest Son's New Blog: Defending the Legacy

2010-09-08T16:42:00.006-04:00

Our son, Jordan, loves history! He researches, writes, draws, speaks, breathes history! We are all especially careful that our knowledge of history be actual, drawn as much as possible from primary source documents so as to not be tainted by modern revisionism (e.g. the stuff you learn in public schools).

He will be writing about various historical events, theology, cinematography, toy soldier-ology, as well as anything else he feels like! :-)

Please stop by his blog, Defending the Legacy, and enjoy learning some true history!

~Jill (aka his proud mother)

Happy 9th Birthday, Amara!!

2010-08-12T06:13:00.004-04:00

Amara reached a milestone on July 25 by turning 9 years old! It is with a heart of joy and love that we provided her with the following birthday letter in honor of this special occasion!

Amara,

It is with great joy that we celebrate your 9th birthday!! We love you very much and it is very special to see you growing, learning, and developing day by day! You have shown yourself to be a loving sister to Tirzah and we pray that you will always have a very tender place in your heart for her (and each of your siblings). We also pray that you will continue to have a great love for babies by seeing them as a gift, blessing, and heritage of the Lord. May you be making the most of the time while you are growing up in our family by following our direction in training you for your future. With your commitment to Christ and your dedication to following the Lord, your coming years are very bright and full of promise.

We will be diligently working to prepare you for being a help-meet to your future husband and a loving mother to many children. As a part of this training, there are many skills that you will be needing and many additional skills that will be beneficial in these future roles. One of the joys that we have in being your parents is to provide you with tools that will help you in your life. Two of the skills that can be a blessing to those around you now and those that God will provide in your future family are knitting and crocheting. It is with this idea in mind that we include gifts for you this birthday that will enable you to develop these skills. We hope that these gifts will be useful and a joy by allowing you to learn new crafts. In addition, we hope that these gifts will communicate our love to you, as well as our commitment to training you.

Amara, it is a blessing to have you as our daughter and we are praying that you will be growing and learning day by day. We are excited to be on this journey of the Christian life with you. We are confident based on Holy Scripture that as you are obedient to the commandments of the Lord, that God will bless you with a life that is joyful, exciting, and filled with great hope!

We love you, Amara! Happy Birthday!!

Love Always,

Dad and Mom

First Birthday Letter for Our Dear Daughter!

2010-07-20T21:15:00.004-04:00

Birthdays are a great time to reflect on God's goodness, grace, and mercy! It is with joyful hearts that we provide this letter for the very first birthday of our dear daughter, Tirzah!

Tirzah,

What a blessing it is to celebrate your very first birthday! You are so precious and dear to us and it is with great joy that we have welcomed you into our family! God answered our prayers with you as we desperately desired to have more children added to our number.

We already have so many special memories of you. These memories include not only your first year after being born, but also all the days leading up to your birth--starting with the moment that we first learned that the Lord was forming you inside the womb. The time of awaiting your birth was very exciting to us and we praise the Lord for bringing you safely into this world and safely into our loving arms! You are a treasure and watching you grow and learn has been a great privilege. Seeing you smile, listening to you laugh, and watching you develop from being a newborn that was unable to hold her head up to becoming a 1-year-old that can crawl and feed herself has been a great joy. Each stage of your life has been a blessing and we look forward to your future with excitement. We will be training you to be a girl (and later a woman) of virtue and character based on what is taught in the Bible.

On your birthday, we were at a very special conference that was called The Baby Conference in San Antonio, Texas. One of the messages of this conference was that children are a blessing from God and are to be eagerly sought! We wholeheartedly agree with this message and YOU are a blessing, a gift, and a heritage from the Lord. May you ALWAYS view children with this godly perspective. Our prayer for you is that you will know our love for you each day, that you will commit your life to Christ very early in life, and that you will live according to God’s perfect plan communicated to us in Scripture.

We celebrate this very special first birthday with you and we remember the blessing of your birth, we thank God for His very special gift of you, we think about all the wonderful times that we have had with you already, and we anticipate many special memories with you in future coming days!

Happy first birthday, Tirzah! We love you very much!

Love Always,

Daddy and Mama

Helpers

2010-07-16T10:00:00.003-04:00

Packing is not a dreadful chore when you have good help! :-)

Happy 1st Birthday, Tirzah!!

2010-07-15T10:09:00.005-04:00

We were at the Baby Conference during Tirzah's 1st birthday (how appropriate!) so we did not get a birthday post posted (is that like going to mail mail?)

Here is a pic from her actual birthday on the 10th of July. What a big girl!! What a blessing she has been. We praise the Lord for her.

Happy 16th Birthday, Jordan!!

2010-06-22T06:16:00.000-04:00

“A wise son maketh a glad father” (Proverbs 10:1, KJV)

“My son, keep thy father's commandment, and forsake not the law of thy mother: Bind them continually upon thine heart, and tie them about thy neck. When thou goest, it shall lead thee; when thou sleepest, it shall keep thee; and when thou awakest, it shall talk with thee.” (Proverbs 6:20-22, KJV)

It is with a glad heart that we celebrate your 16th birthday today! What a blessing it is to see you growing in godly manhood! Your growth in becoming a self-disciplined man who is being sanctified by the Lord Jesus Christ has been very evident and we are very blessed and privileged to be a part of preparing you for a special future of service to the God of the Bible! The upcoming years will continue to shape you for your life work that the Lord has providentially planned for you. We pray that this time will provide you with a solid foundation on which you can build and it is with great joy that we look forward to these years.

We are seeing many of your strengths with increasing clarity and have great hope for the dominion work that the Lord will enable you to accomplish. Your gift of writing, your interest in history, your growing foundation in theology, and your steadfastness in committing to doing what is right will serve you well for a lifetime. As we look to the future, we see that these building blocks are being put together for a very specific purpose that God has ordained.

The presents that we give to you for your birthday are intended to encourage you in a godly pursuit involving your gifts and interests. The first book that we give to you (Adventure in the Wilderness: The American Journals of Louis Antoine De Bougainville, 1756-1760) is one that you have often referenced and we hope will serve to help you gain in knowledge of the French and Indian War, gaining an appreciation from a primary source about the providence of God in this conflict. The leathercraft set that is our next present to honor you on your birthday is for learning the valuable skill of working with leather that can be another avenue of being productive with your own hands, blessing others, and honoring our Lord.

As you have shown yourself to be an honorable son, our gift for your trunk (which contains many special gifts in preparation for your future) is a reflection of our desire to honor and bless you for your commitment to honor. We gladly add to the trunk 20 volumes of the G.A. Henty library. We hope that you know that these books are much more than simply words on paper to us, but that they represent our desire to give to you a special gift from our hearts in appreciation for the son that you are today and that you will become in the future. We joyfully give these books to you, knowing that you will enjoy reading them, that they will be filling your mind with themes that are consistent with what God teaches in His Word, and that they will be a tangible reminder of the blessing that you are given as you are obedient to the truth of Scripture!

We love you, Jordan, and may you pursue a godly, righteous, and holy path for the honor of the Lord! You are a great blessing and we are so excited to see how God is using you today, as well as His plans for you in the future! May you always lay whatever God accomplishes through you at his feet and be humble before Him so that you can have a great impact for His kingdom!

Happy 16th Birthday, Jordan!