by Fawn

In the apostle Paul’s letter to the church at Rome, twice he uses this phrase: “the obedience of faith” — once in Romans 1:5 and again in Romans 16:26. In both places, it is the truth of who Jesus is and the telling of it that brings about “the obedience of faith.”

Faith must have an object. The object of our faith is Jesus, the visible image of the invisible God. Knowing who He is should have a tangible result in us–faith that results in obedience. We obey not because we are trying to gain God’s approval. We obey Him because we see Him in the splendor of His majesty and can do nothing less.

I (Debi) saw this posted on a church’s street-side sign: “Hope is hearing the melody of the future.”

Now brace yourself, because I’m going to sum up my reaction to it in one word: “Blech.”

That quote is yet another example of the ubiquitous inspirational drivel that’s supposed to somehow empower us to carry on and be happy amid the storms of life because rain helps flowers grow and rainbows sparkle and unicorns frolic and blah blah blah.

When the storms of life come, inspirational quotes won’t get you through. When you’re hit with shattering circumstances or faltering under the weight of soul-crushing burdens, happy thoughts and cute cliches are but cotton candy: pretty to look at but void of nutrition.

Stock your spiritual pantry with solid stuff — soul-nourishing, substantial, in-it-for-the-long-haul goods from God’s Word. Here are some of my staples for stressful times:

–”The LORD will accomplish everything that concerns me” (Psalm 138:8).

–”I know that You can do all things, and that no purpose of Yours can be thwarted” (Job 42:2).

–”The LORD has established His throne in the heavens, and His sovereignty rules over all” (Psalm 103:19).

–”Therefore we do not lose heart, but though our outer man is decaying, yet our inner man is being renewed day by day. For momentary, light affliction is producing for us an eternal weight of glory far beyond all comparison, while we look not at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen; for the things which are seen are temporal, but the things which are not seen are eternal” (2 Corinthians 4:16-18).

–”Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies and God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our affliction so that we will be able to comfort those who are in any affliction with the comfort with which we ourselves are comforted by God (2 Corinthians 1:3-4).

My spiritual shelves are stacked high and deep with meaty words like these.

Are yours?

“For I long to see you so that I may impart some spiritual gift to you while among you that you may be established; that is that I may be encouraged together with you while among you, each of us by the other’s faith, both yours and mine” (Romans 1:11, 12).

More Keep a Smile on Your Faith™ events are coming up. While we are going in order to encourage the faith of women there, the rest of the story is that our faith will also be encouraged. It goes both ways.

See our calendar at www.debiandfawn.com

Think twice before using “peace” as the barometer for right/wrong or better/best. There is  such a thing as “false peace.”

Anything God created (such as peace), can be counterfeited. Examples:

• A man/woman deserts his/her spouse and children to live in adultery and justifies it by saying, “I have peace.”
• Singles of all ages (not just the young ones!) engage in sexual immorality and justify it by saying, “We have peace.”
• A couple plunges into debt for a house, car or vacation they can’t afford and justify it by saying, “We have peace.”

Take note: Peace from God will never contradict Scripture!

*This acronym is from Session 3 of our “Keep a Smile On Your Faith” women’s retreat. That’s the session that answers the question, “How do I reconcile my feelings with my faith?”

by Fawn Brents

In Paul’s letter to the church at Rome, twice he uses this phrase: “the obedience of faith” –once in Romans 1:5, and again in Romans 16:26. In both places, it is the truth of who Jesus is and the telling of it that brings about “the obedience of faith.”

Faith must have an object. The object of our faith is Jesus, the visible image of the invisible God. Knowing who He is should have a tangible result in us–faith that results in obedience. We obey not because we are trying to gain God’s approval. We obey Him because we see Him in the splendor of His majesty and can do nothing less.

This hope we have as an anchor of the soul, a hope both sure and steadfast. Hebrews 6:19

Last weekend Charlie and I spent the day on a pontoon boat drifting around a south Missouri lake. There was an anchor on board, a plastic bucket full of concrete tied to a rope. That will do while you’re fishing on a lake, but isn’t the anchor you need in a storm at sea.

The anchor you need when the big waves hit is made of steel, it’s shaped to grab hold and it must find something to grab hold of. Heaving an anchor onto a sandbar won’t do you a bit of good. In the storms of life, money, people and stuff are nothing more than sandbars. But Jesus Christ is the rock your hope can hook on to. His promises, backed by his character will keep you from drifting when the big waves roll in.

What kind of hope are we talking about here? It’s a hope "sure" and "steadfast". The word sure means, "something that won’t sway or wobble." And steadfast was a word used during New Testament times for a surface that didn’t give way or break down when you stepped on it.

Hope anchored in Jesus Christ, His promises and His character, never gives way under pressure. You’ve grabbed hold of a rock, and not just any rock–it’s The Rock. If you secure your faith in the promises of God and don’t jump ship, you’ll remain sure and steadfast when the storms roll in.

Fawn

Spring is the perfect time to be spontaneous. You can pack an overnight bag and join us in Hutchinson, Kan. Leave the KC area this Friday (April 29), and be back  in time to sleep in your own bed on Saturday (April 30).

What’s the special occasion? The host church for Keep a Smile On Your Faith™  is expecting 200 women on Saturday, April 30. This will be our largest crowd yet, but we are short on Table Leaders. Because the event on Saturday is 9 a.m.-3 p.m., there are only TWO table times! The host church will even find homes for you to stay in, and Debi and Fawn will pay for your lunch on Saturday. This keeps your expenses super-low, enabling you to step in and serve with a smile on your faith.

Even if you have not been a Table Leader before, just having attended the event will give you a boost. We will do Table Leader training on Monday evening, April 25. The Training Guide will refresh your memory and equip you to facilitate just TWO Table Times.

Please respond ASAP! We need at least six volunteers to help the attendees have the best experience possible. Contact us now for details, and enjoy a springtime road trip with a purpose!

Learn more | REGISTER ONLINE | Friend us on Facebook  |  Read the newspaper article | Read the blog

To us, this tree* looks like an old woman leaning on her walker! And we love it! Why?

Besides the fact that we love trees, we  love that this tree still has something to give. It’s the kind of tree we would want to be – no matter how old we become, we want to continue showing new growth in our lives.

Do you like trees too? Then you’re going to love our event in Hutchinson, Kan., next Saturday, April 30, from 9 a.m.-3 p.m. It’s hosted by First Church of the Nazarene, and they are going all out to make this event fun and memorable. We use trees frequently as examples in our teaching, and the women at  First Naz are using trees in their decorating.

It’s not too late to register – and the event is FREE! Invite a friend to join you, or fill a table with the gals from your book club, mom’s group or lunch bunch. This high-impact retreat will change the way you think about and live out faith.

Learn more | REGISTER ONLINE | Friend us on Facebook

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*This tree is on the campus of the University of Saint Mary  in Leavenworth, Kansas.

Here we are outside the Anchor Inn in Hutchinson, Kan., during a visit there last year. Later, Fawn and her husband Charlie toured the salt mine while Debi visited family.

We’ll be back in Hutch on Saturday, April 30, to present our high-impact women’s retreat, Keep a  Smile On Your Faith™, at First Church of the Nazarene, 4290 N. Monroe, from 9 a.m.-3 p.m.

All women in Hutchinson and the surrounding areas are invited. Regardless of where you are in your faith journey, you will find something at Keep a  Smile On Your Faith™ to refresh and challenge you. Admission is free, so invite several friends and fill a table.

Learn more  |  Register online  |  Why we love rural communities

Our busy October is over, and we are overflowing with thankfulness for a series of great events.

At left, we’re pictured with some of the many volunteers who made Keep a Smile On Your Faith™ such a success at Raintree Community Church in Lee’s Summit last weekend (Oct. 22-23, 2010).  Here are just a few comments women shared about what they liked most:

• Your ability to communicate in a very fun but yet very serious way; you both have so much to offer!
• Sincerity of teachers; very upbeat and inspiring.
• The five steps; simple, easy to remember, but so important. (The five steps are: Lift Up Your Eyes, Send Down Your Roots, Stand On the Truth, Stay by the Stream, and Stretch Out Your Branches.)
• The solid teaching. It was a great time of refreshing, encouragement and instruction.
• The laid-back atmosphere and the clarity of the message.
• Learning how to get more deeply rooted in my faith and how to deal with my emotions.
• This is different from most women’s events where you sit a lot. The Table Time helped us apply what we were learning.
• The style of this retreat was unique and refreshing.
• The content was so well planned and relevant. Both speakers are a gift from God with such oratory talent!
• The honesty and humor used by Debi and Fawn about real-life issues. This was an encouragement and a blessing.
• Lots of hands-on things to do.
• All the word pictures helped me understand; loved that. Liked the facts about the mustard seed; great analogies. Also liked the way you described the difference between grace and mercy.
• You both are very inspiring, making me feel like I can make it!

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