Run With Horses

Marriage A to Z: A Transformational Marriage

Marriage is one of the tools that God uses to transform us into the image of Jesus. It forces us to confront our sin and selfishness and gives us opportunities to help our spouse and children grow.

Marriage Laws in Japan and God’s Work is Perfect

Quote of the Day: "Theology is only thought applied to religion.” – The New Jerusalem , GK Chesterton
How often, how much do you think about your spiritual life? Why is the most important thing, eternity, such an afterthought? This life and it's worries choke out what really matters.
News and Culture: The Osaka court has upheld the Japanese law that defines marriage as between one man and one women. Three same-sex couples claimed that their rights to free union and equality were violated by Japan’s marriage law. Japan is the only member of the Group of Seven major industrial nations that doesn’t recognize same-sex unions. Group of Seven (G7)is made up of Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, the United Kingdom, the United States and the European Union. My question has always been, marriage has always been between a man and a woman. If the world's governments are going to allow other types of relationships, give them a different name. These relationships can be officially recognized and given legal standing without calling them marriages. They are distinctly different in nature. Marriage should be clearly identified as different at it's core. Japan recognizes the role of the marriage in producing children and in being a stabilizing influence on society.
Chloe's Corner: "One"           For more of Chloe's music check out her website, chloejanelle.com,  or find her on itunes, amazon music, youtube music and most of the major streaming platforms,
Living Theology: Deut 32:4 - God's work is perfect. We may not understand what God is doing, but we can trust the One doing it. His intentions are good, His knowledge is complete, His purposes will be accomplished. Trust Him. Why do we doubt? Our knowledge is incomplete, our strength is limited, our purposes are usually selfish. We see God as a weak, selfish, immature being . . . like us. Having made God in our image - we don't trust Him. We need to know God as He describes Himself, and accept Him as He IS.

Family Friday: Coming to America (Part2)

Part 2 of the family discussion about our move to the USA for ' months of furlough.

Marriage A to Z: Sharing in Marriage

There are lots of things we share in our marriage. Experiences, joys, sorrows, ministry and all parts of life. This helps build a solid foundation for the future.

Identity Crisis and Growing in Patience

Quote of the Day: “He knew that in order for his mission to succeed, much would depend on the dedication, loyalty, courage, and faith of the men whom He had chosen and trained.” The Lost Art of Disciple Making, Leroy Eims
 
This is true for leaders in the church today. The future of your church will rest in the hands of those your chose and train to carry the work into the future. Pastors and deacons need to take their role as disciple makers seriously as they intentionally spend time with the younger men in the church.
 
News and Culture: Identity crisis
Broadly speaking it is questioning who your are how you fit into the world.
Depends a lot on how you view the world - good place, bad place?
How do you view people - people basically good, basically bad?
How do you view God? Distant and uninvolved? Personal and caring?
Includes life purpose, core beliefs, thoughts about yourself
Truth matters. Who do you trust? What do people say about you? What does God say about you? Which is more important to you?
How do you gain approval from God? work harder? What about Grace? Can you work hard enough.
 
Living Theology: Patience - Wait on the Lord
Right now generation. Fed by fast paced video games, mini commercials, instant access to information.
Availability of social media 24 hours a day in the palm of your hand.
Is this healthy? Ar you a better person because you don’t ever have to wait?
God seems to value patience and endurance. Long suffering and self control!
James 1 faith is tested and endurance grows.
Can you be a mature person without patience and self control?
Children are marked by impatience, they are the center of the world. Cute in a 2 year old. Not so much in a 30 year old.
Try hard things. Make efforts to live out Scripture. Practice the “one another’s” of the NT. It will take effort. Persist in it.
It will be worth it in the end.
 

Family Friday: Coming to America!

The Smith family is on the way to America! Seven months of traveling throughout the heartland of America visiting supporting churches and family. Here are our thoughts on the coming adventure.

Marriage A to Z: Quilting A Marriage

A patchwork quilt is a good picture of marriage. Many small pieces fit together to make a beautiful work of art!

Growing Older and Pursuing Fruit of the Spirit

Quote of the Day: John F. Kennedy’s famous words, "ask not what your country can do for you, ask what you can do for your country."
Is this spirit totally dead in the world today? Where do you see it in the country? In your church? In your life?
It is a call to action to do what is right for the greater good.
We too often are serving only our own interests in the world today.
Trying to make yourself happy will only end up with you miserable. You can not satisfy yourself. but you can make someone else’s life better.
 
News and Culture: Growing Older -
How do I view life and my place in it? Joy should grow with age. Greater understanding of God’s plan and my place it it.
Chance to invest in others, particularly the next generation.
Wisdom learned from life’s hard lessons.
Improved social skills from when we were more self-centered as a child and young adult.
Hopefully a chance to reflect on accomplishments and God’s work in my life to this point.
Young people - appreciate your parent’s and grandparents if you have them. you may not agree with everything they say, they grew up in a different time with different hardships and opportunities. But there are lessons you can learn from them if you are willing. be humble and teachable. Love them while you have the chance.
 
Living Theology: Fruit of the Spirit - Galatians 5:22-23 - love, joy, peace, longsuffering/ patient, gentleness/kindness, goodness, faith, meekness and self-control.
Attributes of spiritual fruit you can actually work on and make intentional effort to apply.
There are things you can do to apply your self to the work of sanctification that God is working out in your life. Apply yourself to growing in your faith and in your character.
Practice patience. Learn to listen to others well. Look for opportunities to serve people, even those you don’t know.
Prayerfully ask God to change you and at the same time, apply yourself to change.

Family Friday: Life Lessons from Karate

All three of our children have taken Shinkyokushin karate for the past 5 years. Cameron and Chloe received their black belt this past week. We talk about the lessons they have learned through the difficulties of full contact karate.

Marriage A to Z: Roles in Marriage

A couple has several roles that each take on throughout the life of the relationship. Some never change, some change over time and in different circumstances. Communication is the key to maintaining a great relationship through the many changes that life brings our way.