Today's Christian Woman articles from September 2007

Today's Christian Woman archives from September 2007

A sucker for stuff.(between us)
September 1, 2007... FUNKY RED DINNERWARE. Fashionable Crate & Barrel furniture. Sparkling stainless steel flatware. As I eyed my daughter's bridal registry online recently, I jokingly quipped to Rich, my husband, "Hey, we've been married 30 years. I still...

A League of Dangerous Women.(SOUL)(Brief article)(Book review)
September 1, 2007... A LEAGUE OF DANGEROUS WOMEN by Mary Frances Bowley ($14, Multnomah). Responding to the call of the Lord to serve the desperate and brokenhearted, Mary Frances Bowley and 40 of her friends did what many long to do--they began a ministry to...

Books of The Bible.(SOUL)(Brief article)(Book review)
September 1, 2007... The International Bible Society has developed The Books of The Bible the Bible in a format that helps readers rediscover the beauty of God's Word. There are no chapter or verse numbers to interfere with the text, which is presented as one...

Get the popcorn.(SOUL)(The Last Sin Eater)(Brief article)(Video recording review)
September 1, 2007... The Last Sin Eater, a powerful story from novelist Francine Rivers about the nature of redemption, has leapt from the page to the screen. Now available on DVD, the story takes place in an Appalachian community where a young girl is grappling...

Now and Not Yet.(HEART)(Brief article)(Book review)
September 1, 2007... NOW AND NOT YET by Jennifer A. Marshall ($14, Multnomah). This isn't your mother's dating world! Today almost one in three women isn't married by age 30, and Jennifer A. Marshall is one of them. Drawing on her decade of work in cultural...

The Body of Christ needs hands--Yours.(HEART)(Brief article)
September 1, 2007... Lotsa Helping Hands is a free online service that makes it easy to aid loved ones in need. It's a simple-to-use group calendar specifically designed to organize helpers tot meal delivery, rides, and other tasks necessary for life to run...

Blessed.(HEART)(Book review)
September 1, 2007... BLESSED by Robyn Henk ($14, Tyndale). "We can count on the consistency of God's goodness. He will never change his definition or disguise his good things to look like something they are not. Our culture changes its definition of good every...

Indiscriminate Love.(HEART)(Excerpt)(Brief article)
September 1, 2007... "The tax collectors and 'sinners' were all gathering around to hear him. But the Pharisees and the teachers of the law muttered, 'This man welcomes sinners and eats with them'" (Luke 15:1-2 I. Love moved Jesus to help all people. Love...

In essentials unity.(HEART)
September 1, 2007... "In essential unity, In essential unity, in nonessentials liberty, IN ALL THINGS LOVE." --Peter Meiderlin, 17th-century theologian

Being healthy: never tasted so good.(STRENGTH)(Recipe)
September 1, 2007... Flaxseed helps women offset problems with dandruff, dry skin, and premature aging. And you can work it into your diet by sprinkling some into your baked goods. Each of these chocolate chip flaxseed cookies has more healthy lignans...

Roadside attraction.(STRENGTH)(The Billy Graham Library)(Brief article)
September 1, 2007... If your travels take you near Charlotte, North Carolina, spend an afternoon visiting The Billy Graham Library. Located near the farm where Graham grew up, the library features multimedia exhibits that chronicle the famed evangelist's life and...

War on poverty.(STRENGTH)
September 1, 2007... According to www.poverty.com, 25,000 people die each day from the effects of hunger alone. That's one person every three and a half seconds. The recently launched website offers a moving visual representation of this loss and offers visitors...

Reconcilable Differences.(MIND)(Brief article)(Book review)
September 1, 2007... RECONCILABLE DIFFERENCES by Nancy Parker Brummett and Alice Scott-Ferguson ($14, Cook). Brummett and Scott-Ferguson are two devoted Christians with very different ideas about God's role for women. In a casual, conversational style, they each...

Governing in the 21st century.(MIND)(conservation)(Excerpt)(Brief article)
September 1, 2007... When God created the world, he gave mankind the power to govern over his creation. That's a huge responsibility! Here are some simple ways you can be a good steward of this amazing gift by conserving resources: * Wash your clothes in the...

We love the music of OVER THE RHINE.(WHAT WE'RE LISTENING TO RIGHT NOW)(Discount Fireworks)(Sound recording review)(Brief article)
September 1, 2007... We love the music of OVER THE RHINE. We love it so much we're not listening to their latest album. That's because Discount Fireworks is a retrospective of the band's storied 15-year career and, frankly, we already have their previous...

Need proof that good things come to those who wait?(WHAT WE'RE LISTENING TO RIGHT NOW)(Because He First Loved Us)(Sound recording review)(Brief article)
September 1, 2007... Need proof that good things come to those who wait? See Exhibit A: CHERI KEAGGY'S latest release, Because He First Loved Us. It's been six years since the singer/songwriter's last studio album, and in that time Keaggy's been focusing on being...

Q: How do I estimate my future financial needs for retirement?(YOUR MONEY)
September 1, 2007... A: An effective retirement plan isn't based on guesses. More often than not, your guess will be way off, and you won't discover it until it's too late! So examine your expenses. Look at fixed expenses such as housing. Figure in...

Q: I think I'm experiencing perimenopause. What's the best way to handle the changes in my body--and in my moods?(YOUR HEALTH)
September 1, 2007... A: The phase just before menstruation stops completely, known as perimenopause, may last several years, usually beginning in the 40s. Some physicians may check hormone levels, but for most of us, the symptoms alone are sufficient to confirm...

Q: How do I deflect the inappropriate admiration of a married coworker?(YOUR RELATIONSHIP)(Brief article)
September 1, 2007... A: Let's be honest. Most of us women have a social style researchers call "reciprocity." Almost unconsciously we respond relationally by matching the level of connection, caring, and self-disclosure of the person to whom we're relating. If...

Q: I have a friend who always tells me God "speaks to her." I've been a Christian a long time and never literally hear God's voice. Is something wrong with me?(great question)
September 1, 2007... A: My friend Rim is a classic example of a woman who adores Jesus and speaks passionately about him. Her language is sprinkled with such informal, intimate phraseology about the Lord that you'd assume they'd just shared a mocha at Starbucks!...

TCW talks to ... Gracie Rosenberger: how this double amputee found hope--and now shares it with audiences and patients around the world.(strength)(Interview)
September 1, 2007... Her parents urged her not to go on the road trip. But at 17, Gracie felt invincible--and protected by God's love. It was 1983, and she'd just completed her first semester of college in Nashville. An athlete and overachiever who averaged four...

God's tattoo: evidence of God's love is everywhere. But take a special look at his hands.(soul)
September 1, 2007... I've always been in awe of people who have the guts to get a tattoo. It's not their physical bravery or social courage that impresses me so much as the permanence of their decision. Maybe at the time you really like Mickey Mouse, but what if...

Praying and purling: how women are turning knitting into a ministry to the needy.(soul)
September 1, 2007... In the fall of 2005, Shirley Meisinger of Wilton, Iowa, was diagnosed with breast cancer. When this 70something grandmother began chemotherapy, a group of women from Shirley's church gave her a hand-knitted "prayer shawl." The simple...

The rise of raunch: what's a Christian woman to do in today's hypersexed culture?(mind)
September 1, 2007... Recently my sister bought me a gift certificate to a popular lingerie store. As I picked out a bra there, a girl no older than 15 walked in with six guys ranging in age from roughly 14 to 18. The boys--their laughter awkward, edgy--nudged the...

Simplicity.(a special section)(women's lives)(Brief article)
September 1, 2007... Life is crazy-busy and complicated. We're women, wives, friends, mothers, workers, church members, neighbors, daughters, and sisters. We communicate by letter, phone, fax, cell, IM, text, and e-mail. According to an MSN study, Americans make...

Breathing space: 3 secrets to creating more room in you life for God.(a special section: simplicity)
September 1, 2007... When my children were small, I was a stay-at-home morn---except I was rarely at home. I volunteered, carpooled, and took the kids on excursions to museums, the zoo, even the mall. When I was home, I worked part-time as a freelance writer. My...

The experiment: I wanted to simplify. But could I really put a stop to all my spending?(a special section: simplicity)(Essay)
September 1, 2007... "I've stopped spending completely," my sister-in-law, Loft, announced one day. "I'm going on a spending fast." "You're doing what?" I asked, almost choking on my latte. "I'm going on a 40-day fast," she explained. "I'll buy...

Selective service.(the simple life: Readers share ways they've intentionally pared back their lives.)(Brief article)
September 1, 2007... I had a tendency to be a "striving" Christian, someone who served God by serving others. Each time I saw a need, I said "yes" because it made me feel valued, as though I was a "good Christian." Then I began to recognize that while serving...

Small-town living.(the simple life: Readers share ways they've intentionally pared back their lives.)(Brief article)
September 1, 2007... My family and I decided to move from the city to a small town 35 miles away. Now, instead of whizzing around in our car enjoying all the amenities of the city, we walk to the town square for ice cream and come home to swim and kayak. Giving...

Vanity blues.(the simple life: Readers share ways they've intentionally pared back their lives.)(Brief article)
September 1, 2007... While I was in seminary and lived on a limited budget, I gave up shopping for clothes, shoes, and accessories. Because I could no longer be the most fashionable person around, I had to confront my pride. I discovered I'd been using clothing...

Scrapping time-wasters.(the simple life: Readers share ways they've intentionally pared back their lives.)
September 1, 2007... A few years ago I realized a fast didn't have to involve food; it could be replacing with prayer anything that was hard to stop. For me, that was scrapbooking--and I knew the Lord wanted me to give it up. I wasn't just your average...

Shutting down shuttling.(the simple life: Readers share ways they've intentionally pared back their lives.)(Brief article)
September 1, 2007... My husband and I decided our family would take a sabbatical from activities. So for a whole year, we opted out of baseball games, voice lessons, Awana, and anything to which I had to drive. Instead, our family chose something fun to do...

Real simple: it's not what you might expect it to be.(a special section: simplicity)
September 1, 2007... A loon's plaintive cry echoes across the water as I settle into my campsite. For more than a week, I've been backpacking alone on this wilderness island in Lake Superior, and my heart and spirit are calmer. I have only what I can carry. Each...

Think on these things: thoughts to ponder and pray about.(a special section: simplicity)(Brief article)
September 1, 2007... 1. How do you define simplicity? Describe how you think a simpler life would look and feel. -- 2. The most important things God requires of us are +"to love him and to love others" (from "Breathing Space"). Are your activities...

On the beat: how CNN reporter Kelli Arena tackles the tough topics--and keeps her faith intact.(strength)
September 1, 2007... Like many moms of young children, Kelli Arena knows details matter. She's mastered the art of packing her three children's lunches so Cameron, nine, Claire, seven, and Evan, five, get things just the way they like them--chocolate pudding...

Redesigning woman.(heart)
September 1, 2007... It started out innocently enough. I was lugging a potted plant from our bedroom to the living room when my husband, Tim, glanced up from the football game on TV. "What are you doing?" he asked. "Moving this plant," I explained....

Hagar: the woman who named God (Genesis 16:1-13).(women in the word)
September 1, 2007... OUR STORY STARTS OUT sounding like the plot of the movie Mean Girls, circa 1900 B.C. But get ready for a surprisingly happy ending. Before we meet Hagar, let's touch base with her aging, barren mistress, Sarai, who was desperate for a...

What I'm learning about ... loving the "least of these".(humanitarian work)
September 1, 2007... SINCE I LIVE IN ONE OF THE WEALTHIEST COUNTIES in the U.S., I always imagined the "least of these," those people Jesus instructed us to look alter during our time here on earth, lived very. far away. I thought observing this command required...