July 21st, 2011 by Kristi Stephens

This week, as you may have noticed, I haven’t had a tremendous amount of time to write. This weekend my very dear friend is flying in from Texas, and we’ll be spending much of next week together! This weekend I am leading a women’s ministry training at our church that I desperately need to prepare for. And today – record high temps are calling me to be creative to keep our kids engaged and cool! …I’m thinking about constructing some angry birds-type structures with plastic cups and blocks and launching wet sponge balls at them. ;)

Important things all around. :)

So, all that to say – I’ve decided to take a brief “blog-abbatical” until the end of next week. We’ll pick back up with the Israelites in One Summer, One Story then! {And don’t forget about our ‘got milk?’ project – we’re up to $360! Praise the Lord!!!”}

May 23rd, 2011 by Kristi Stephens

Thank you to everyone who entered the giveaway to win a copy of Warrior Prayers: Praying the Word for Boys in the Areas They Need it Most!

Our winners, selected by random.org, are the authors of comments #1 and #18!

#1 – Kristen!

Kristen said: “I am pregnant with my second child – a boy! – with a little girl already at home. I feel so blessed to have this Little Man on the way, but I’m also very nervous about training up a little boy, especially when my only experience is with little girls. I would love a copy of this book! Thanks so much for the great giveaway!”

Congratulations, Kristen – so exciting to be expecting a new baby! We pray this book is a blessing to you as you welcome this new little guy into your life!

#18 – Tia!

Tia said, “My two sons and I have been blessed through the power of scripture driven prayer. Recently a few first time moms have just had baby boys, and I have wanted to compile some verses that I thought would be beneficial to them. Your book would be a great gift for them as their baby boys grow.”

Tia, I love that you were wanting to share some encouragement with younger boy-moms. This book will be a treasure to whomever receives it!

We’ll be contacting you soon, or feel free to go ahead and email me at n8skristi {at} gmail {dot} com!

April 19th, 2011 by Kristi Stephens

As we prepare for Easter this coming weekend, we are going to be reflecting on the life of Mary Magdalene and her unique relationship with Jesus. Join us as we quiet our hearts to celebrate the Day that changed eternity!

Are you guilty of saying it?

I know I am.

“I have a boring testimony.”

There have been times in groups of believers as we went around and shared our testimonies, our stories of how Jesus had gotten hold of our hearts and changed our lives for eternity, when I have begun to feel shy about my story. I would listen to others share gripping tales of how they had met Christ in dramatic or unexpected ways, times when God had invaded the darkness of their lives and rescued them from the grip of addictions and scandal.

The words would bubble out, sometimes accompanied with a strange kind of embarrassment. I said it many times before I realized that it was a flat out lie.

There is no such thing as a boring testimony. Each and every person who has been pursued by the irresistible grace of God has a miraculous story to tell. A story of death to life, lost to found, darkness to light.

Mary Magdalene had a story. She had a story that none of us would want to follow in Bible study.

“…Mary, called Magdalene, from whom seven demons had gone out…”

Luke 8:2, ESV

Mary had a past. We don’t know much about it other than this one short phrase, but it is full and telling. Mary surely had been known as that woman. The one everyone avoided. The one who had entangled herself in darkness and become imprisoned by it.

As we approach Good Friday and Resurrection Sunday this week, I want us to start simply by pondering where this woman had been and how radically her encounter with Jesus altered how she saw her past, the life she had in the present, the hope she had for the future.

Jesus changed everything.

So today, what is your story? I was four years old when I first began to understand the work of Christ on my behalf. I don’t have a jaw-dropping tale of being saved out of dark sin and scandal… but what God has impressed upon me over the years is that sometimes the most gripping part of my story is what He saved me from and to. No, I wasn’t a drug dealing violent offender at four years old- but where would I be without God’s divine interruption in my life? Knowing the sin my heart is prone to – where would I be if left to my own devices? What did God save me from? Part of my testimony is also what He saved me to – it astounds me when I think of what God has done in and through my life in unexpected ways throughout my twenty-six years of knowing Him.

If you know Jesus, what is your story?

What has He saved you out of?

What has He saved you from?

What has He saved you to?

And promise me to never ever say it again – no one who has encountered the Living Jesus has a boring testimony, my friend.

Have a testimony to share? Feel free to give us a brief version in the comments below or leave a link to a post of your testimony!

April 18th, 2011 by Kristi Stephens

I apologize for not completing our re-run of Redeemed! Life from this side of my laptop has been a little packed the past few weeks, so please forgive my oversight. You can read all of the Redeemed posts here if you were interested in reading more!

Last weekend (April 8-9), the Scripture Dig team had the privilege of serving together at the West Park Baptist Church (Knoxville, TN) annual women’s retreat, held this year in beautiful Pigeon Forge.

The Lord blessed us with beautiful weather!

Scripture Dig photo shoot!

What a wonderful and full weekend! I arrived in Knoxville on the 7th and was privileged to spend some precious time with Julie Sanders and family, and then our Scripture Dig sisters stayed together for an extra night in Pigeon Forge, soaking up rare time together “in real life!”

Preparing to hear from Stephanie during our first session! From left to right: me, Teri Lynne, and Sandra.

Kathy Howard relaxing a bit in our suite!

The Scripture Dig retreat theme was “in the family,” focusing on our adoption into God’s family, and also on the ministry of physical adoption. It was a beautiful time of connecting with one another and rejoicing over what God has done in our lives through the cross and through the sanctifying relationships we have in the body of Christ.

Stephanie sharing her own story of being adopted into both a physical and spiritual family.

This retreat was for the women of Julie‘s church, and she did a fantastic job pulling everything together!

Our team on Saturday – each of us had a different letter on our shirts that spelled ‘family’ when we stood together.

Opening the Word with the ladies!

I arrived back home with a full heart but totally exhausted! Exciting things like taking care of kids with colds and catching up on housework and laundry (and sleep!) consumed my week, and before I knew it it was time for our own church women’s retreat.

I had the honor of speaking for our group of about 100 ladies, gathered in Ohio’s lovely Amish country. Our theme was “blessed,” centering on the beatitudes in Matthew 5 and also pulling in the accounts of the sinful woman in Luke 7, Mary Magdelene, and the woman caught in adultery.

{That’s my ONLY picture… I forgot to take some!! So, girls, if you have some, please send them my way!} ;)

The retreat went beautifully and God spoke clearly through His Word. It is an honor to open His Word with women who love Him!

And now… it’s Palm Sunday and Easter is a week away!

I know I’m not the only one who has had a busy schedule and a full mind during this month – don’t we all need a reminder to slow down and ponder this weighty season?

So, during this pre-Easter week, I would like us to focus on the life of Mary Magdalene, her unique relationship with Jesus, and the lessons we can draw for our own lives and walk with Christ.

See you tomorrow – and in the meantime, I’m going to take a nap and nurse this cold that my children generously passed on to me. ;)