This came up in a recent conversation about abortion, a topic I care about a lot.
“Let’s balance the “don’ts” with some tangible help,” I said. “What about the 13-year-old who is a victim of incest? What about the girl who is pregnant and doesn’t know where to live or find her next meal because she’s on the street if she keeps the baby. What do we do for that person?”
Thus, another inspiring person. Rather than pointing fingers, Becky Turner is changing lives. She’s passionately prolife and also provides assistance to young moms – get this, free of charge.
LifeHouse provides a Christian family home setting undergirded by counseling, instruction and post-partum support. LifeHouse relies on faith and the support of the Christian community to change and save lives.
They’ve been doing this since 1988 when a group of committed believers joined together to open a Christ-centered residential facility for pregnant teens and young women. The basis of their ministry comes from James 1:27 (Religion that God our Father accepts as pure and faultless is this: to look after orphans and widows in their distress and to keep oneself from being polluted by the world).
Becky Turner says, “As the church we proclaim that abortion is not an option – and this is true – but we do not always provide assistance to those mothers who do choose life for their baby. In the over 20 years of ministry we have shown the love of Christ to over 440 women and their precious unborn babies – these girls/women are our heroes.”
LifeHouse has two homes in South Houston, TX. One is a 4 bedroom, 3 bath home with an attached 2 bedroom/1 bath apartment that is fully paid for and can house up to six residents. The second home is in the middle of remodeling but will open on July 1st and will also house six residents.
Turner says, “These girls/women that come to our homes do not just receive room and board but are provided an example of what it is like to live in a family that cares for one another. The Houseparents’ role is critical as they demonstrate unconditional love to many who do not even want to be loved. It is an amazing thing to watch as the Holy Spirit begins to soften these women and the self-preservation walls begin to come down and the trust level is increased between the resident and the Housemom and Housedad. Many are then ripe to receive God’s free gift of salvation and are fertile ground for rich discipleship to occur.”
The heart of what they do at LifeHouse is to model family and community.
Have you ever wondered what books you could use in your Bible study? Or in your women’s ministries or small cell group?
I had the most fun yesterday talking with Marnie Swedberg and her audience of women’s ministry leaders. But I was only one of many, including Hearts at Home founder Jill Savage, authors and speakers Jennifer Rothschild, Lysa TerKeurst, Nancy Stafford, Nancy Leigh DeMoss, and many others.
Check out this great site and listen to the interviews, read about the books, and see if any of these women or topics might be great for your group (or you!).
Link: Women’s Bible Study Expo. Oh, and did I mention they are giving away prizes? That just makes it more fun!
Have you ever felt alone as a mom? Lost in your chosen field of mothering?
There is an organization that was created to encourage, educate and equip women in the profession of motherhood. Hearts at Home helps thousands of moms love their lives through their many resources including conferences, website, and books.
I’ve had the privilege of speaking at Hearts at Home several times. I’ve even traveled to Europe twice to speak to moms in Hungary, Austria, and Germany with Hearts at Home Intl. They are the real deal!
Recently I partnered up with this organization as a blogger. I know. I blog here, at Christian Momlogic, at Real Teen Faith, for Christianity Today’s Gifted for Leadership.
One more blog, Suzie? Are you kidding?
I’m just passionate about connecting with great organizations that really do care about women of faith.
From time to time I will share with you the many resources this ministry has to offer (old ones and new). To learn more about the Hearts at Home Blogging team go here. In the meantime I would like to encourage you to explore their website and blog for an immediate dose of mothering encouragement.
Baby showers. Wedding showers. Wedding for my nephew, Mitch. Speaking at a retreat. Speaking at a university. Attending my son’s 1st full marathon in another city. Speaking at two writer’s conferences in Colorado and Pennsylvania. A church board member retreat in Missouri. Graduation commencement for my SIL, Josh, in Arkansas. These are events that fill my weekend calendar from now until mid-June.
All amazing things, but somewhere in that busy calendar something is missing.
Friendship.
When Richard and I moved last year to be closer to the university, we left a community we’d lived in for two decades.
Though our calendar is filled with events and special family functions, we’ve struggled to figure out how to connect with people in our new community, and to keep the bonds strong in our old one.
That’s something we didn’t have to do in our old community, but we are slowly realizing that connecting with new friends is intentional.
So we took two steps this week, long overdue.
We met a cool couple who are pastors of the college campus ministry at the university two miles from us. He’s working full-time as a campus pastor. She’s working full time in a local church as a secretary, and due to have a baby any second tomorrow.
I asked Amanda if she’d like us to host an enchilada and ping pong ministry. (No, you don’t do them at the same time. ♥) I explained that when we lived in Muskogee, some of the most fun times were when people came over and I cooked for them and we ate and played cards and ping pong and games and just hung out. It was relational. It was the best way to talk about faith and life.
Just talking about it makes me realize how much I miss that all over again.
Amanda and Jeff were excited and said yes! So, on May 1st I’m cooking a ton of enchiladas for Amanda and Jeff and 40 to 50 in their campus ministry. We’ll set up the ping pong table. (I love, love to play!) We’ll create a fire pit in the back for S’mores, and I’ll even dust a little around the place to make it homey. The back deck is ready for music and worship and good conversation.
And as busy as my calendar is, I think this is the brightest spot on it.
And this Friday we are having friends over. Old friends from Muskogee that I haven’t seen in at least three years and who I miss. Busy life and distance have kept us apart physically, though the strong bond hasn’t went anywhere.
More cooking. More dusting. I’ll throw a roast, potatoes, carrots in the crockpot and make a fruit pizza for desert. A game of Wii bowling will top off the night!
Can you tell I’m excited?
Yes, my calendar is full. I don’t think that’s going to change any time soon, but the Eller house is going to be full again and that just makes me happy.
I went to lunch with new friends last week. They are in their twenties, just starting out life and newly married. It was fun. Pablo is one of those cool kind of guys who you just can’t help but like. He’s honest, blunt at times, and funny. His wife, Haven, was awesome. I loved talking with her.
As I normally do, I wanted to hear their story. “Tell me all about you,” I said.
Pablo started first. He described how he found Christ in a little church in Tulsa when he was a freshman in high school.
Haven’s grandfather was the pastor at that time of that church. She described her experiences there and how God shaped her life.
I was raised in Tulsa, so I asked them where the church was.
When they told me, I was brought back 30 years to my first experience with God.
In that very same church.
It has a different name now. It was Trinity then. It’s a tiny church in a bad part of Tulsa. I can only imagine the number of pastors who have struggled to keep the church alive. Last time I saw it, there were few changes. A nondescript building on a residential street surrounded by older homes and a few Quik Trips with bars on the windows.
And yet three people had found Jesus there. Three people who were in different phases of ministry. Three people of how many who went on to disciple others, just as they were discipled.
Maybe you are a pastor’s wife, a Sunday school teacher, a youth volunteer, or someone who’s trying to make a difference. Maybe on the outside it doesn’t seem like you are doing much compared to a mega church or the speaker whose books are flying off the shelves. But it’s likely that somewhere there are people who you touched who were never the same after they encountered God in your “small” ministry.
And that ministry goes on. Multiplying. Spreading. Growing and maturing.
I don’t think we’ll really every know what God can do with the “little things” until we reach Heaven one day. I bet we’ll be in for a surprise. I got a little taste of that last week as I experienced “just another coincidence”.
Many wonderful things happened at CBE 2009. First, I want to send a shout out to the organizers. It was interesting. Well set up. The speakers and musical artists were outstanding.
But few attendees showed up, which broke my heart for those who worked so hard. It was a first major ECPA event. I believe with a little tweaking it can be a huge event next year. We’re talking about it over at The Writers View.
My drive to Dallas was my first real venture out since I broke my collarbone. I was still in a sling and brace, but Richard was on point, helping me every step of the way. But I honestly forgot that I was injured when I stepped into a world of books and authors.
I needed this.
I saw friends. People like Lysa TerKeurst of Proverbs 31, who is always ready with her N. Carolina twang and warm hugs to pull you in tight. Author Mary DeMuth who knocked it out of the ballpark on a Christianity Today panel with Don Miller and others on their thoughts about post-Christianity.
I was intrigued by what Donald Miller (Blue Like Jazz) had to say about our faith. Do I agree with everything he said? I’m not sure, but I do know he’s asking the tough questions and a lot of what he said resonated. The Harris twins, Alex and Brett, authors of Do Hard Things shared how they wanted to inspire teens to change the world. It was interesting to hear how God used two 16-year-old bloggers to motivate teens to rebel against low expectations.
A sweet moment came as I sat at the book table and a young girl approached me.
“Did you break your collarbone?” she asked.
I said I did.
She explained that she broke her collarbone twice and knew how painful it could be. “Can I pray for you?” she asked.
Then came the sweetest prayer every spoken. She took my hand, bowed her head, and asked God to heal me and take away the pain. It was a powerful God moment.
Being around other writers and readers is invigorating to me. I left exhausted, but happy.
I’m taking a couple of days off to recuperate, but I’m so glad I got to go.
But I’m still disheartened for the organizers. I was shocked that so few came to this conference where awesome speakers, authors and musical artists like Michelle McKinney Hammond, Donald Miller, Henry Blackaby, Janette Oke, Nicole C. Mullen, Max Lucado, Jerry Jenkins, Don Piper, J. I. Packer, Randy Alcorn, Stormie O’Martien, Stephen Arterburn, Kevin Lehman, Thelma Wells, Sheila Walsh, Jennifer Rothschild, and many others, were in attendance. There were so many great workshops and services.
Talk to me. Are you attending conferences? What draws you to a conference? What makes a good conference? What is your favorite conference?
If you live in the Dallas area, I hope I’ll see you at Christian Book Expo 2009! Nearly 200 of your favorite authors will be there. Authors like Max Lucado and Stormie Omartian. There will be 150 inspirational seminars offered by different authors, tens of thousands of Christian books in a huge expo, and nightly inspirational events. There’s even a Kid’s Zone if you want to bring the family.
Why am I hyping this? I want to meet you. I’ll be signing books on Friday, March 20, Saturday, March 21, and Sunday on March 22. Check here for updates and information on the signings! I’ll be in Booth 1110, Harvest House Publishers.
These are the authors from Harvest who will be in the same booth signing their books throughout the event:
Marla Alupoaicei * Kerby Anderson * Allison Bottke * Mary DeMuth * Brandt Dodson * David and Lisa Frisbie * Elizabeth George * Jim George * June Hunt * Kathi Lipp * Catherine Martin * Sean McDowell * Cecil Murphey * Stormie Omartian * Bryan Polivka * Ron Rhodes * Jennifer Rothschild * Georgia Shaffer * Mindy Starns Clark * Lysa TerKeurst * Thelma Wells * Debra White Smith * Laurette Willis * Dillon Burroughs * T. Suzanne Eller *
And that’s just one publishing house.
There are many, many more! There will also be a premiere screening of the movie, Collision, a golf tournament, and more special events.
Compassion International is partnering with radio stations, media, churches and bloggers to spread the word about the Global Food Crisis and raise funds that will make a real difference to those impacted by it.
WHY IS THE CRISIS?
Overshadowed by recent political and financial economic news, the UN World Food Programme calls the current global food crisis “a phenomenon, a silent tsunami,” that is affecting millions of families in every nation on every continent. This global food crisis is more rapid, urgent and devastating than any other in the history of our planet.
WHY IS THE CRISIS HAPPENING?
The cost of food staples have roughly doubled in many countries where Compassion serves. Some of the original factors that turned this trend into a world calamity recently include unstable oil prices, increased meat consumption in countries like India and China, droughts in major crop-producing countries, and increased production of biofuels.
HOW CAN YOU HELP?
Visit http://compassion.com to learn more about the Global Food Crisis and donate to Compassion’s Global Food Crisis Fund.
We welcomed new friends: Dixie from Ohio; Elizabeth from Oklahoma; Melody from North Carolina; Kirstin from California; Sara from Oklahoma; Misty from Oregon; Geneva from Oklahoma; Martha from Georgia.
And what are we talking about?
Defining a Strong Woman: interview author Dianne Neal Matthews, author of One Year Bible Women of the Bible Devotional (2 GIVEAWAYS!)
We’ve also launched a new book club under Christian Momlogic. Desiree from Broken Arrow, Oklahoma (a new friend I met when speaking at her church) is facilitating it. Want to join? It’s easy! And free. Click here for the details.
Impact for Life touches the lives of thousands of women and families across the nation. One program under Impact for Life is the Library of Hope. For the past several weeks I have been trying to raise funds to send 1,000 Mom I Want to Be: Rising Above Your Past to Give Your Kids a Great Future. To date, I’ve sent 100 books with your help! That’s 100 libraries in 100 prisons across the nation.
This week I’m sending another box of books to Impact for Life, thanks to your generous donations. Please understand, I receive no royalties and no compensation. This allows me to purchase many more books at my discount for Library of Hope! What do I get out of it? Hmm. Lots and lots of joy knowing that this is one of the tools to help women seeking a second chance at motherhood.
It’s the holidays. It’s a crazy time to even thinking of asking you to join me in this mission. But I’d love for you to consider praying for the volunteers of Impact for Life, many of them formerly in prison and now free because of faith in a loving God.
Second, to donate to this cause. You can donate through http://paypal.com (ID: tseller@daretobelieve.org). 100% will go to books for Impact for Life. Please make a note on the donation that it is for IFL.
Believing that God redeems our life stories, Intl. Proverbs 31 Speaker, author, and columnist, T. Suzanne Eller, teaches you how to give every chapter of your life to a relevant and life-changing Savior.
Inspiration Journey Day #4: LifeHouse
If you want to do something, check out the registry for their 2nd LifeHouse home. You can buy something and it will be sent directly to LifeHouse!
