Summer Highlights

Good Evening,

Before I left for New York I fully intended to leave you with a slide show of our week together in July/August. Unfortunately, after letting the video upload all night, I woke up on the morning I was leaving for New York and discovered that for some reason (probably my lack of techno-savviness) the upload was unsuccessful. And now, 3 months later, I'm not feeling the urge to upload every picture (aren't you glad?), like I always do right after the fact. So, here are some highlights from...

My Graduation Party

(look! socializing)

Our Time At the Freeman's House

(it was so good to finally meet you, Anna Leigh!)

(The Knit Whits from Geneva OPC)


(freshly picked and arranged flowers and cups of coffee and tea made for a very fun afternoon. This was the highlight of the whole week for me.)

(playing Bananagrams and drinking tea)

Our Annual Photo Shoot 2010

Next up....the New York trip. I'm trying to catch up on my blogging :)

Another Sweet Reminder

Here is another precious letter from Miss Ruth Bryan. Anyone in the mood of a cup of tea? Pull up a chair to the tea table and let Miss Bryan sweeten your tea.

My very dear Miss,
In the precious Name which is above every name, I come to inquire--Is it well with you? Does the vine flourish, and the tender grape appear? (Song 6:11) and do you find the savor of the Beloved's ointments give a very good fragrance? Is Jesus increasingly precious, more than ever desirable? Is He, in your esteem, better than rubies, and all the things that may lawfully be desired not to be compared to Him? Is the Holy Spirit sharpening your appetite for this Bread of Life, so that with more ardent longings you are saying, "None but Jesus!" When He is in the right place, other things will be so; it is His rising in the soul that makes them sink to their proper level. And oh! He is so worthy, so suitable, so altogether lovely--we cannot prize Him too much, or hold Him too fast, or lean on Him too heavily. My highest praise of Him is far below His worth; but through rich grace, I, a vile sinner, have tasted and handled of this precious Word of life, and found such blessed benefit, such soul-invigoration, that I want to set others longing for these royal dainties!

Perhaps I might think that the Lord will do His own work, and I am only meddling in vain, if I did not read in His Holy Word about "exhorting one another," and "stirring up pure minds by way of remembrance." But, as these things are there, I venture; and if by many poor attempts I may be used to stir up but one warm loving remembrance of Him, I shall be thankful. Satan is ever striving to divert the mind from this blessed Object. He will allure or alarm, he will use what is pleasing or painful, anything to keep the soul from delighting in Jesus, from looking unto Jesus, and believing in Him for life and salvation. Nevertheless, all those who are ordained unto eternal life shall believe in spite of his efforts, and all those in eternal union with Christ shall close with Him by living faith. Cords of love shall entwine, and ropes of kindness shall draw--until the poor soul is brought into conscious union with the Beloved, and can say, "He loved me, and gave Himself for me!"

Oh, the blessed provisions and securities of the everlasting covenant, which is ordered in all things, and sure! Not only are all things made ready, but the soul is made willing to receive them; the appetite given, and the required garment put on. (Isa. 61:10) The precious Savior is a free gift, and the faith which receives Him is a free gift also; the blood which CLEANSES is Heaven's royal bounty, for freely did it flow from the veins of heaven's King, and the application of it is Heaven's sole prerogative. By mercy, not by merit, do all the blessings come. This salvation is for the poor, and the poor only--and they must be stripped even of their rags! It is not enough to confess that their rags are filthy and worthless--they must be parted with, and this necessity touches very closely the heart of the 'old Adam'. But all must go, that Christ may wear the crown—that he who glories may glory in the Lord our righteousness.

How is it with you, my beloved? Are you stripped of your own righteousness, emptied, and bankrupt? If so, I hail you blessed, for "the poor have the gospel preached to them;" and it is written, "When they had nothing to pay, he graciously forgave them both." Nothing to pay! how our proud flesh does murmur and complain, and only wish that it had something to bring! But why? "He has magnified the law and made it honorable." He has endured every stripe that justice required, paying every farthing the creditor demanded, and that in Heaven's own coin, for "without shedding of blood is no remission of sin." His pure blood was freely shed that sin might be honorably remitted. "The soul that sins--it shall die." He dies, "the just for the unjust, to bring us to God;" and when at the close of His work He cried aloud, "It is finished," there was not a voice heard in heaven, earth, or hell to contradict him. Take courage, then, my beloved; we can afford to be poor with such "unsearchable riches in Christ!" All He is and has is ours, for "my Beloved is mine, and I am His." "All things are yours, for you are Christ's, and Christ is God's." He is "Head over all things to His body the Church."

"Ah! but," say you, "I want to know more clearly that He is mine. I want personal application and appropriation." Well, this is not unlawful coveting; go on longing, for this very same Jesus "satisfies the longing soul, and fills the hungry soul with goodness." You want to know your sonship? "We are children of God by faith in Christ Jesus;" faith is the manifestation of sonship, and by it we come to the enjoyment of family privileges. Living faith is the gift of God, and "faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the Word of God." While Rebekah was listening to Abraham's servant, there was a moving of her heart towards his master's son, for when asked if she would so quickly leave all for him, she said, "I will go." So, perhaps, while you are hearing of the "things which are Jesus Christ's," the Holy Spirit will be kindling love and longing in your soul, bringing it to believe and venture. May the blessed Comforter speedily make you as willing as Rebekah, and work in you the same obedience of faith. She went forth, and her faith was not in vain--she found her husband. So shall you; for eternity will never unfold all the love, loveliness, and glories of our wonderful Emmanuel! Oh, I do want to know more of them here, and thus have all the things of earth bedimmed!

Sweet Testifier of Jesus! O Wind Divine! "awake," and "come," and blow away the dust of earth, and clouds of flesh and sense, which seem to come between us and our souls' Beloved, revealing Him in warmer love, more manifested union, and more endeared communion. Oh, make us walk in Him!

"Closer and closer may we cleave
To His beloved embrace,
Expect His fullness to receive,
And grace to answer grace."

If for Jesus you pine, come and beseech Him for more of His love. Come, O Beloved! into the garden of our souls; breathe upon the graces of Your own Spirit there, that the spices may flow forth for Your regaling. Eat, O Beloved! Your own pleasant fruits, and give us, Your unworthy ones, to find Your fruits sweet to our taste—the fruits of Your love, of Your doing, of Your suffering! Give us to feast on Your rich fruits—to eat, by faith, Your flesh and blood, and thus live by You. (John 6:57) Say to us, "Eat, O friends! drink, yes, drink abundantly, O beloved!" for Your "biddings are enablings." Amen. (Eph. 20, 21.)

Now if there should be one drop of living water for your refreshment in this little vessel, give God the praise. To Him I commend you in love.

Your very affectionately, but in myself, very unworthy,
Ruth.

p.s. I send you Phil. iii.

Tea Served By Miss Ruth Bryan

Greetings!

I have been home from New York for two weeks (tomorrow), now and still have not given you any highlights, pictures....anything! Well, you'll have to wait a bit longer. This is not the night for it. Trust me. But, by way of a post, I have been re-reading some of Miss Ruth Bryan's letters in her precious book of letters, The Marvelous Riches of Savoring Christ. I could write a whole post just on the book, but instead, I will let Miss Bryan pour the tea tonight with one of her letters that I go back to again and again. It is rather long, but most precious. Blessings to you in Christ Jesus! Goodnight!

To E. M.

Beloved,
How frail are we! How often reminded that these tabernacles have their foundation in the dust! "Dust you are, and unto dust shall you return;" and thus end all the pride and pomp of vain mortals. A few short days they flutter in the sunbeams of pleasure and earthly prosperity--and then lie down in their lowly bed of dust, until aroused by the voice of the archangel, and the trumpet of God. But in what likeness shall they come forth? Ah! there will be no mistake in that great harvest-day. The seed of the serpent, and the seed of Christ--will doubtless each have their own likeness. According to the sowing will be the reaping, (Matt. 13:37-39) which the Day will declare.

O my dear friend, I do more and more like to see things in the light of eternity, the light of the Spirit, which shows things as they really are, and as the Word declares them. I desire this not for the sake of judging others, but that I may judge myself daily and hourly, (1 Cor. 11:31) and not be beguiled by this deceitful and desperately wicked heart, which always pleads on the side of the old Adam, urging in time of temptation, "This is not very wrong, and that can be of no great consequence." But ah! away with it all! "There is death in the pot!"

What says the Scripture? "To be carnally minded is death." "If you live after the flesh you shall die." (Rom. 8:6,13) "He who sows to his flesh shall of the flesh reap corruption; but he who sows to the Spirit, shall of the Spirit reap life everlasting." (Gal. 6:8) I think that these verses do not refer only to the utter death of the unrenewed state, but also to such a deadness in the believer's experience as "sowing to the flesh" must bring. The truth of this I have sorrowfully proved since quickened into spiritual life, yes, since I have felt Jesus to be precious. And I have had to take to myself the words of Jer. 2:17—"Have you not procured this unto yourself, in that you have forsaken the Lord your God, when he led you by the way?"—and know the experience described in a great part of that chapter and the following one. Oh! what a picture they give of this wandering heart! But the return spoken of in chapter 3, verses 12-14, 22, is wonderful! "Who is a God like unto You," pardoning "iniquity, transgression, and sin?" for He not only calls us to, but insures our return. (Hosea 14:7) They "shall return," and they "shall revive." This is one of the new-covenant blessings, and a pledge that iniquity shall never be our ruin.

Can this lead to presumption or light thoughts of sin? Nay, verily: "How shall we who are dead to sin live any longer therein?" "Sin shall not have dominion over you;" and though the believer falls, "he shall not be utterly cast down, for the Lord upholds him with His right hand." He "knows how to deliver the godly out of temptation." He "will not allow you to be tempted above that you are able, but will, with the temptation, also make a way to escape." These are sweet promises to a trembling soul that feels it cannot stand a moment alone, and yet longs to walk in the Lord's way without stumbling; yes, to "run the way of His commandments" with an enlarged heart.

Such may be overtaken in a fault, but they will not trifle with sin. They feel it an evil and bitter thing; and if sure that they are delivered from its final consequences, they want deliverance also from its present power. This is the breathing and panting of a regenerated heart; the new creature, or new man, is "created in righteousness and true holiness," though it dwells in a leprous house. Still its aspirations are after its own element, that of holiness and love; and never will it be satisfied until it awakens with His likeness. No dead soul has these desires: they are signs of life; He has been there who says, "I have come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly." Precious words to a soul that wants life "more abundantly!"

How thankful I am that you are more spoiled for the world, and that the Holy Spirit is making your conscience tender. I wish every act of conformity to the world may sting like an adder, and bite like a serpent! How cruel of me to think thus! but it is what I wish for myself. I would be as separate from the world in appearance and life, as in heart; and as separate in heart as I shall wish to be altogether when "He shall set the sheep on His right hand, and the goats on His left." Oh, we would not then have one goat's hair upon us--and yet we often tolerate them now.

Truly, we owe hearty thanks to the convincing Spirit for all His sharp rebukes. He is that faithful friend who will not allow us to sin without a reproof. Smiting is welcome from this righteous One; for it is better to sit in sackcloth and ashes under His discipline, than be a careless one "at ease in Zion." It is true, as you say, we have contending nations within, great and mighty; but the Shulamite is a company of two armies, and the spiritual Joshua says, "As captain of the Lord's army am I now come." With the Lord on our side, we shall put the foot of faith upon the necks of our enemies, and He will subdue them. Fear not! the battle is the Lord's! And though you may often feel foiled, it is to teach you where your strength and victory lie; not in any conquests of your own, but in the achievements of your Captain upon Mount Calvary. There see Him bruise the head of Satan, the captain of the Canaanites; there see your sin pierce Him; there see His Father bruise Him, and put Him to grief for your iniquities, and in your stead. Would you know what sin is, what justice is, what pardon is, what love is, what victory is? You must learn all at Calvary and in Gethsemane. I know the Holy Spirit keeps the key of those sacred places; but it is well to wait prayerfully at the gate until it shall be said, in experience, "Unto you it is given to know the mysteries of the kingdom of heaven."

As to the time you have been waiting, it is nothing in comparison with the value of what you are waiting for. The first sight of your name upon the heart of the crucified One, the first beam from His precious eye, will overpay you for an age of painful waiting. To see others stepping in before you, may sometimes cast you down; and the enemy may suggest: "Jesus has no favor for you." Answer him not a word; cry to his Conqueror, "Let my sentence come forth from Your presence." Do not be ready to believe hard things of that Friend of sinners, whose heart is made of tenderness. His heart melts with love. When did He cast out a coming sinner? When did He leave a helpless lamb to the wolf? When did He refuse to deliver a distressed soul, crying, "Lord, help me!"

My hope of you is steadfast, that as He has begun, so He will finish in you the good work, that together we may witness for the dear Redeemer, that He still "receives sinners, and eats with them." You long to love Him more, and well indeed you may, for He is worthy. But do not forget—"We love Him, because He first loved us." (1 John 4:19) When you can by faith know and believe the love God has to you, your love will flow back again to Him. But now you are doubting and questioning it, which shows your feelings are more under the influence of fear than love. Those whom you see so warm in their love to Him have known and believed His love to them. In fact, the one is the effect of the other. "The love of God is shed abroad in the heart by the Holy Spirit," and then it rises up again to its source. You long to look away from self; but you are like the poor woman who was bent double for eighteen years and was unable to stand up straight. But Jesus will come and break your bands, and make you go upright and look upward. Oh, cry for faith; and may the Lord open to you. I commend you, my precious one, to the infallible Teacher, whose word is with power.

In Him I may take a warm adieu,
Ruth.

Brief Update

Hi everyone!

So this is my "holding down the fort while Sarah is away" post. Actually, Sarah just returned from her trip to Franklin Square, but I'm sure she will write her own post full of the details. Welcome back, Sarah!

It's the usual for me: the next homework assignment. But, our Father gives grace sufficient! I am a very task oriented person, and I find that everyday is about the list of tasks and responsibilities I have to perform. I am amazed that I can go a whole day without even thinking about the Sustainer and One to whom all my actions should glorify. It is very troubling, but I know that God created some of us to be task oriented and he knows our weaknesses. In church last Sunday, we sang these words and they really sum up what I have been praying:

Spirit of God, descend upon my heart;
Wean it from earth, through all its pulses move;
Stoop to my weakness, mighty as thou art,
And make me love thee as I ought to love.

Teach me to feel that thou art always nigh;
Teach me the struggles of the soul to bear,
To check the rising doubt,the rebel sigh;
Teach me the patience of unanswered prayer.

May the Holy Spirit pour out his grace upon us the rest of this week as we fulfill the callings and roles he has given us.

In Christ,
Lily

For all who may be weary and heavy laden...

Charles Spurgeon is pouring our tea tonight! These are some comforting words. I hope that you will find refreshment and solace in this meditation.

"Casting all your care upon Him; for he cares for you." 1 Peter 5:7

It is a happy way of soothing sorrow when we feel "He cares for me." Come, cast your burden upon your Lord. You are staggering beneath a weight that your Father would not feel. What seems to you a crushing burden would be to Him but as dust. Oh, child of suffering be patient; God has not passed you over in His providence. He who is the feeder of the sparrows will also furnish you with what you need. Do not sit down in despair; hope on, hope ever. There is One who cares for you. His eye is fixed on you, His heart beats with pity for your woe, and His hand omnipotent will bring you the needed help. He, if you are one of His family, will bind up your wounds and heal your broken heart. Do not doubt His grace because of your tribulation, but believe that He loves you as much in seasons of trouble as in times of happiness. What a serene and quiet life might you lead if you would leave providing to the God of providence! If God cares for you, why should you care, too? Can you trust Him for your soul and not for your body? He has never refused to bear your burdens; He has never fainted under their weight. Come then, soul! Cease fretting, and leave all your concerns in the hand of a gracious God.

~C.H. Spurgeon

Blessings in Christ,
Lily