"A Beautification Project"
by Nancy Sebastian Meyer
“…He who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion…” Philippians 1:6
Two adjoining properties located on a major road near my home are under major reconstruction. Initially many trees were felled around the stately old houses, and after a week or so of rain, the place looked terrible. I began hearing negative comments and criticism from friends and neighbors. Because I know the property owners quite well, I kept thinking that we should all mind our own business and patiently watch what happens. Since then, buildings have been erected and the landscaping changes more each week. Observers are finally beginning...[read more]
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News from hope4hearts...
Hawaiian Islands Ministries has invited Nancy to return again this year to the San Jose Bay Conference in October and also join them in March of next year at the Honolulu Conference. This is especially exciting because Nancy and Rich will celebrate their 25th wedding anniversary in 2009!
Reminder: Nancy’s Focus on the Family interview with Dr. Dobson is scheduledfor March 24 and 25. Check thewebsite for her full calendar of upcoming events. To book Nancy for an event, please contact us soon! |
Giving God Glory:
Dear Nancy,
I am writing to thank you personally for this wonderful book [Spiritually Single Moms]. I have been ministered to through your experience. I am prayerfully giving your books to spiritually single moms as and when the Holy Spirit prompts me. I find it different for a man like me to minister to their needs. My wife does not have experience either. Your book helps me in bridging this need.
Sincerely with thanks,
Andrew & Li Leng—Singapore |
Be sure to forward this
on to your friends and neighbors!
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Wow - What a Response!
E-talk readers flooded the hope4hearts office with over a hundred entries to the “Two Truths and A Lie” contest from the January 2008 e-talk. Randomly selected from 19 correct responders, the winner is…Deb Strubel. Congratulations!
Now that you know the winner, you also want me to tell you which statement was the lie, right? Yes, Rich and I won our honeymoon to Bermuda by entering a dress-alike contest sponsored by a collectible distributor at a Massachusetts convention in 1983! Yes, I scored an ice hockey goal during my first ever game this past Thanksgiving when Becky’s coach invited family members to join the team for a game during one of their practice slots. I found myself on the coach’s line (a good place to be) and “cherry-picked” in front of the goal on my shifts until I finally got a puck past the goalie—yahoo! No, I did not go skydiving on my fortieth birthday but would love to try it. Check back after my fiftieth, coming up in a few years!
This silly contest garnered so much attention. Why? What attracts us to certain things? Attraction and becoming attractive is the theme of this month’s e-talk. After all, this is the month in which Valentines Day is celebrated by lovers and romantics. If you are married, what attracted you to your spouse? What makes someone attractive? Why should we want to be attractive? This last question is simple for a believer—we should want to attract people to us so we can share the love of Jesus with them!
Here are some tips about attraction. Surprisingly, fashion experts say the top three aspects that form first impressions are: 1) hair style, 2) hair color, and 3) accessories. God indicates many places in His Word and by His example that a loving heart attracts sinners to the Savior. So, how do people respond to you? I pray that you and I will attract people to Jesus with a life that radiates compassion and joy!
With much love,
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Speaking the Truth in Love — Part 2 |
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Effective communicators combine truthfulness and graciousness which Ephesians 4:15 calls “speaking the truth in love.” Last month we looked at the concept of honesty (click here to read). Truth most often needs the attractive wrapping of love to make it palatable. The following excerpt from Beyond Expectations: Finding Joy In Your Marriage helps us examine the counterpoint of truth: speaking in love.
Love is so much more than “warm fuzzies.” The love we are talking about is not just an emotion, but an attitude that produces action. An attitude of respect and compassion plays out in every aspect of godly communication.
The attitude of...[read more] |
Ask Nancy:
Question: Any romantic advice for wives, since Valentines Day is coming up soon?
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Answer: Here’s a fun tip for married couples. The week after Valentines Day, you can often find great clearance sales on beautiful lingerie—it’s a great time to stock up on something special to keep the home fires burning bright! I’ve also been known to pick up several good buys that I pass along to women in my “Hope for the Heart of a Wife” class when we get to the lesson on rekindling the romance. I’m so glad God created and encourages the romantic aspect of the marriage relationship! |
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Question to and actual answer from a second grade student:
Q: What did your mom need to know about your dad before she married him?
A: Does he make at least $800 a year? And did he say NO to drugs and YES to chores?
If you've heard of a funny, clean joke, send it to us.
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Worth Your Time - Nancy Recommends
For Married Couples Only! For a great way to invest in your marriage, pick up a copy of Red Hot Monogamy: Making Your Marriage Sizzle by Bill and Pam Farrel. Here is an excerpt about a well-known psychologist’s recent research findings: “…the neurological path we use when we sing praise to God or pray is the same path traveled when we engage in sexual intimacy. It certainly seems a person who is passionate about God has a head start on passion in a marriage because the path is well used from head to heart” (page 13). Don’t let romance get stale when God says you can sizzle
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