I know I don’t get to see most of you in person, so you probably have no idea that I’ve been putting on a few pounds lately. But I have. The lbs are piling on, and I couldn’t be more happy about it…

Meet the newest member of the Ryan Family, kiddo #4, due 10.10.12.

Jason and I went it for our mid-pregnancy ultrasound last week and got a wonderful report from the doctor! Praise God, Baby looks safe, healthy, and full of testosterone! Yes, we’ll be adding another boy to our mix in October!

After having two miscarriages in the past, including a second-trimester miscarriage in 2010 when we lost our sweet son, Benjamin, we are always cautiously optimistic during this time. But, we’re trusting God to bring Baby safely into this world and allow his little life to glorify Him in whatever ways possible. And, to help us choose a name for the little guy. That’s a frequent topic of prayer lately too!

For the past four-and-a-half months, I’ve felt like I’ve been keeping a secret from you, Glo girls, so I’m so glad to finally be able to share our exciting news with you! Will you pray for our little one along with me? It would mean the world to me!

Q: Does anyone else have any baby news on the horizon? Let us know! Let’s pray for all of them!

Sometimes, it’s easy – this thing called life. You’re making it on your own. Things are going smoothly. And you don’t need anyone or anything to help you.

Then, about a minute later, you feel the weight of life and realize it’s a lot harder than it looks. A little help would be nice after all.

That’s where our BFFs (biblical friends forever) come into play, and that’s what happened in our next biblical example of awesome friendship. Enter Moses, Aaron, and Hur.

When the Israelites fought the Amalekites in Exodus 17, Moses must have thought he had an easy job. All he had to do was hold his arms up and the Israelite army would win. Lower his arms, and the enemy would conquer them.

Have you ever tried to hold your arms up for any significant length of time? I’m pretty sure it can be categorized as torture. I can’t do it. Moses couldn’t do it. And my guess is that you can’t do it either. You need help. You need, like Moses did, someone to come alongside you and hold your hand.

¹² When Moses’ hands grew tired, they took a stone and put it under him and he sat on it. Aaron and Hur held his hands up—one on one side, one on the other—so that his hands remained steady till sunset. ¹³ So Joshua overcame the Amalekite army with the sword. (Exodus 17:12-13)

All Aaron and Hur did was support Moses. They steadied his arms when they were growing weary and encouraged him until the battle was over. Another beautiful picture of what friendship should look like. One friend holding the hand of the other through these rough waters called life.

How do your friendships measure up in this area? Do your friends encourage you to be a loving wife to your husband, a good parent to your kids, a trustworthy employee to your boss, a growing student of God’s Word? When life gets tough, do they party with you in the pit or do they pull you to the surface?

What do you do for them?

It is important that BFFs walk your walk and talk your talk, but if they don’t hold your hand and encourage you as well, the relationship may have a toxic element to it that needs to be addressed.

One of the best things about encouragement is that it’s contagious. Consider Moses and his little predicament again. Aaron and Hur encouraged Moses. Moses, in turn, encouraged Joshua with his arms raised high. Joshua encouraged the Israelite army. And the Israelite army defeated the Amalekites.

Like the domino effect in reverse.

Encouraging, isn’t it?

If you’d like to read more about encouragement, check out The Spiritual Art of Encouragement Part1 and Part 2.

Q: What do your friends do to hold your hand and encourage you?

Part 4 Next Tuesday: BFFs – Carry your mat.

Every night, my husband and I put our kids to bed and witness the sweet image of our children praying softly and sweetly to Jesus…

OR

In reality, what we actually witness every night looks a little more like this:

A whole lot of chaos mixed with a little bit of sweetness!

Ever since our oldest son was about two, we’ve had a bedtime routine. It’s changed a bit over time, but here’s what it looks like now:

1. Bath / teeth / PJs / etc.
2. Read one book – kids’ choice
3. Read one section from our current devotional book (the boys each have one and we alternate between the two)
4. Prayer time (we lead, but make them pray out loud too)
5. I sing “Bushel and a Peck” as I tickle and hug each one. Some nights fast and silly, some times slow and soft.
6. Lights out

Now, the routine itself is not one I’m necessarily unhappy with. I like that bedtime is family time. I like that we read. I like that we incorporate the Bible and prayer. But…

Lately I’ve noticed that our routine has become a little too routine, if you know what I mean. The boys start playing during devotional time, pray for silly things instead of serious things, and generally “check out” when the important times come.

I can feel that we’re at a fork in the road. Either we’ll ignore this subtle attack against our sacred rituals with our kids and it will all slowly disappear altogether over time. Or, we’ll remain aware and proactive about being intentional about family and devotional time and hopefully continue to influence their little minds with more truth and memories.

So, I’d love to get your input!

If you have young children now, tell me what works for you! If your kids are older and on their own, tell me what used to work for you or what you wish you would have done differently!

• What does your bedtime routine look like?
• How do you successfully incorporate the Bible and prayer?
• How do you teach your children to pray real prayers rather than silly prayers?
• How do you keep your own prayers from being monotonous and routine?
• How/What do you pray for on a daily basis for your kids?
• Do you use any devotional books? If so, which ones do you (and the kids) like?
• Any other tips or input?!

I’m seriously awaiting your comments on this one! And, I have lots of friends with young kids as well, so I know they’ll all appreciate your wisdom and insight!

When it comes to our kids and influencing them spiritually, I know that even a mediocre routine is better than nothing. But I sure would love to move from mediocre to dynamic!

Last week, we looked at the friendship of David and Jonathan and discussed the importance that BFFs (biblical friends forever) walk your walk and are spiritually in sync with you.

But just as important is that BFFs also talk your talk.

For this, we’re going to, once again, explore my favorite biblical heroine, Jephthah’s daughter. Or, more specifically, we’re going to look at her friends.

“But grant me this one request,” she said. “Give me two months to roam the hills and weep with my friends, because I will never marry.”  38 “You may go,” he said. And he let her go for two months. She and the girls went into the hills and wept because she would never marry.” (Judges 11:37-38)

In Judges 11, Jephthah’s daughter (JD for short) had “her girls.” These were the BFFs she went to when life was at its hardest. They walked her walk, but they also talked her talk because they were all single gals, just like her. Different translations of the verse describe the group as her companions, her fellows, her friends, or her dear girlfriends, but they all stem from the Hebrew word Re`ah which is specifically reserved for unmarried, female friendships. Friends who were in the same stage of life as JD.

So when I say that BFFs talk your talk, what I mean is that they are in the same stage of life as you. If you’re single, they’re single. If you’re a mom with young children, so are they. If you carry around photos of your grandchildren and complain about how complicated cell phones have become, they do too!

Now, it should be noted that this is not a spiritual concept; this is just logical.  It is a principle that works for the same reason that psychiatrists encourage support groups.  People need to develop relationships with others who are going through the same things they’re going through.

C.S. Lewis once said, “Friendship is born at that moment when one person says to another, ‘What! You, too? I thought I was the only one.’”

Let’s be honest, have you ever been around a group of new moms when they were talking about breast-feeding or potty training? Depending on your own stage of life, it can be the most liberating, encouraging conversation of the day, or it can be the most awkward and uncomfortable conversation of the day. You want, and need, friends who talk your talk.

Because your life may transition to the next stage according to a different time-table as your friend’s, it naturally follows that the dynamics of your friendship may evolve over time as well. I’m not suggesting at all that you sever ties with a friend just because she’s not in the same stage of life as you! I’m simple stressing the importance of adding to your circle of friends depending on where you are in life.

It can be a very sad day when you feel as if a friend has “moved on” without you. The girlfriend who used to share your frustrations about dating now doesn’t. The friend who used to have time for you is now distracted by her children. The friend who used to be so independent and carefree needs you more and more now that she’s a widow. These situations are real and they are tough, and sometimes, they are the beginning of a fizzling friendship. But I think if more people understood and accepted that friendships can, and will, ebb and flow over time, they wouldn’t take these changes in life stages so personally.

I have had great friendships that have not been strong enough to last through the transitions called life. But I have also had awesome friendships that have survived through every life stage since college. Those have been the friendships that have been strong enough to bend.

Q: Do you agree in the importance that BFFs talk your talk? Why or why not?

Part 3 Next Tuesday: BFFs – Hold your hand.

Here’s a little something for you in honor of Mother’s Day. Sure, we all know we’re worth far more than rubies, but just for fun, let’s do the math anyway! [All info compliments of salary.com]

Are you a working mom? Have no fear; you can find your paycheck here!

Happy Mother’s Day to all of our priceless, GLO-rious moms!

It may seem odd, but when talking with women about BFFs (biblical friends forever), one of the best places to start is by looking at a timeless example of friendship between two men.

David and Jonathon.

Snapshots of their relationship spring up in the pages of 1 and 2 Samuel, and their story of friendship, love and devotion to each other is the stuff that Hallmark movies are made of.

But what makes their friendship so special, and what can we learn about developing our own BFF relationships from these two men? Consider this beautiful quote from 1 Sam. 18:1:

After David had finished talking with Saul, Jonathan became one in spirit with David, and he loved him as himself.

Did you catch those three little important words? David and Jonathan were great friends because they were “one in spirit.” Their devotion to God was the foundation of their relationship. They were spiritually in sync, and they walked the walk together.

In reality, David and Jonathan are a perfect example of the potential for things to go really wrong in a friendship.  After all, Jonathan was King Saul’s son, and technically in line for the throne, but David was God’s choice to be king. But, while egos and agendas could have ruined these two forever, because they were both devoted to the Lord, their friendship lasted through generations. The last time they spoke, Jonathan said this:

Jonathan said to David, “Go in peace, for we have sworn friendship with each other in the name of the LORD, saying, ‘The LORD is witness between you and me, and between your descendants and my descendants forever.” 1 Sam. 20:4

Isn’t that beautiful? “A sworn friendship with each other in the name of the Lord.” See, Hallmark move, I tell ya!

Do you have friends who walk your walk? Are you spiritually in sync with each other? If not, I have some advice that (I think) originated from Tommy Nelson many years ago. He suggested that you run as hard and fast as you can towards Jesus. Then, every now and then, stop to look around and see who’s running beside you. Those are the people who are spiritually in sync with you.

There are several reasons why it’s important that your BFFs walk you walk. Your BFFs are the ones:

• You’ll go to for advice. (Don’t you want it to be biblical?)
• You’ll have fun with. (Shouldn’t it be moral?)
• You’ll cry with. (Don’t you want to be reminded of Hope?)
• You’ll see again. (Why should death end the party!?)

Someone once said, “Show me your friends and I’ll predict your future.” Proverbs 13:20 says, “Walk with the wise and become wise, for a companion of fools suffers harm.”

Q: Are you and your BFFs spiritually in sync? How do you walk each other’s walk?

Part 2 Next Tuesday: BFFs – Talk your talk.

Mother’s Day is coming up, and if you’re like me, sometimes it can be downright stressful trying to think of a Mother’s Day gift that truly reflects the worth of the recipient. Moms are invaluable. And as you age and become a mom yourself, you begin to appreciate even more what a blessing a loving, godly mother can be.

Now, I don’t know your mom, so I don’t know if she likes books or jewelry or perfume or fishing tackle, but I do know that there are three things that she wants and needs from you today:

1. Honor
   “Honor your mother and father” is the first “horizontal” commandment given in the Ten Commandments. It’s important. There is a reason why you have the mom that you have. God chose the exact time and place where you would live and the exact family that you would be born into (Acts 17:26).  By respecting and honoring the woman God chose to be your mother, you are respecting His decision to put her there.

2. Forgiveness
   Even the best mom still needs your forgiveness. Forgiveness for not being perfect.  For not being there.  For being there too much. For whatever scars she’s left on your life.  Let’s face it, some moms have done some pretty rotten things.  But God commands forgiveness in the Bible, and it’s not something we’re to withhold just because the person who needs it is our mother.

3. Thanks
   Chances are, your mother has invested many, many hours in you over the course of your lifetime. She deserves your thanks. Thanks for all of the many things she’s done for you.  For the loads of laundry she folded.  For the meals she cooked. For putting up with you.  For keeping you close.  For letting you go.  For any and everything she’s ever done for you.  Do you thank her?  Do you appreciate her?  It’s never too late to tell her how much she means to you!

Remember, Mother’s Day is May 13th! I hope this helps you as you prepare to celebrate your special mom this year! [And in case you're wondering, the above digital art work was brought to you by my sweet and talented 5-year-old, Gideon.]

Q: What are you getting for your mom for Mother’s Day this year?

Did you ever have one of these when you were younger?

One necklace for you, and one for your BFF! But while you may have outgrown the desire to wear friendship jewelry sometime around the time you graduated elementary school, I’ll bet you never outgrew the desire to have a BFF – a genuine, bonafide, talk-on-the-phone, shop-til-you-drop, slumber-parties-a-must, best friend forever!

Since God created women to be so relational, our friendships are a huge part of who we are. Chances are, right now either: 1) you’re smiling because you’re thinking about your own BFF, or 2) you’re feeling sad because you wish you had a BFF. Either way, your heart connects with the idea of friendship.

But what if there’s something better than the typical, run-of-the-mill “best friends forever”?  What if there’s more to friendship than that?

There is! Underneath the surface of Facebook “friends,” acquainances, and everyday, ordinary relationships lies the potential for a deeper level of friendship: BFFs: Biblical Friends Forever!

Sounds intriguing, doesn’t it?

So what does it take for a best friend forever to become a biblical friend forever? What does biblical friendship look like anyway, and what does it take for YOU to become a true BFF?

It turns out, the Bible has lots to show us about friendship, and that’s what we’ll be exploring in this series!

Over the next several Tuesdays, we’ll discover Six Characteristics of Biblical Friendship. Specifically, we’ll see how true BFFs:

• Walk your walk.
• Talk your talk.
• Hold your hand.
• Carry your mat.
• Share your load, and
• Complete your circle.

So email, tweet, text, call, or send smoke signals to the friends in your life and together, y’all join me for this fun, friendly series!

By the end of it, you just might be ready to bust out those friendship necklaces after all!

Q: What does a biblical friend forever look like to you? 

I needed a good belly-laugh the other day, and somehow, someway, my BFF could sense it all the way from New York. So, she sent me these classic church bulletin bloopers and succeeded in making me laugh so hard that my daughter started crying because she thought something was wrong with me!  Now, I know you have seen probably seen many of these before, but you just can’t eat a great blooper!

• The Fasting & Prayer Conference includes meals.
• The sermon this morning: ‘Jesus Walks on the Water.’ The sermon tonight: ‘Searching for Jesus.’
• Ladies, don’t forget the rummage sale. It’s a chance to get rid of those things not worth keeping around the house. Bring your husbands.
• Remember in prayer the many who are sick of our community.
• Smile at someone who is hard to love. Say ‘Hell’ to someone who doesn’t care much about you.
• Don’t let worry kill you off – let the Church help.
• For those of you who have children and don’t know it, we have a nursery downstairs.
• Next Thursday there will be tryouts for the choir. They need all the help they can get.
• Irving Benson and Jessie Carter were married on October 24 in the church. So ends a friendship that began in their school days.
• A bean supper will be held on Tuesday evening in the church hall. Music will follow.
• At the evening service tonight, the sermon topic will be ‘What Is Hell?’ Come early and listen to our choir practice.
• Eight new choir robes are currently needed due to the addition of several new members and to the deterioration of some older ones.
• Scouts are saving aluminum cans, bottles and other items to be recycled. Proceeds will be used to cripple children.
• Please place your donation in the envelope along with the deceased person you want remembered.
• The church will host an evening of fine dining, super entertainment and gracious hostility.
• Potluck supper Sunday at 5:00 PM – prayer and medication to follow.
• The ladies of the Church have cast off clothing of every kind. They may be seen in the basement on Friday afternoon.
• This evening at 7 PM there will be a hymn singing in the park across from the Church. Bring a blanket and come prepared to sin.
• The pastor would appreciate it if the ladies of the Congregation would lend him their electric girdles for the pancake breakfast next Sunday.
• Low Self Esteem Support Group will meet Thursday at 7 PM . Please use the back door.
• The eighth-graders will be presenting Shakespeare’s Hamlet in the Church basement Friday at 7 PM. The congregation is invited to attend this tragedy.
• Weight Watchers will meet at 7 PM at the First Presbyterian Church Please use large double door at the side entrance.
• Due to the Rector’s illness, Wednesday’s healing services will be discontinued until further notice.
• When parking on the north side of the church, please remember to park on an angel.

I hope those made  you smile today! Tune in on Tuesday when I’ll annouce my next series!

Q: Please, oh please, share your favorite church bulletin blooper! I’d love to keep laughing! 

I saw something when my kids and I were at the pet store this weekend that immediately made me think of all of YOU, Glo Girls!

These may look like ordinary fish in the photo, but they’re not. They’re called GloFish. In person, you can see that they are bright and fluorescent and they appear to glow both in everyday light and even more so under black lights. They come in five shades: Starfire Red, Electric Green, Sunburst Orange, Cosmic Blue and Galactic Purple.

What is amazing about these fish is that they are not dyed or painted. They have actually been genetically enhanced with a fluorescent protein gene so that they glow from the inside!

Now can you see why I was thinking of you right in the middle of PetCo?!

Glo girls, these silly (but super-cool-if-you-ask-me) fish are a perfect example of what we desire for each one of you. We want you to GLO from the inside!

When Christ is in you, it’s His light (or the supernatural fluorescent Christ gene, if you will) that glows within you. To truly GLO, or glorify Him, is to GLO from the inside!

So next time you’re in a pet or fish store, see if they have glofish. You’ll be amazed at how beautiful they are, and you may even want to pick up a few to remind you to GLO for Him!

Q: How are you GLOing today?