We Give Thanks

The Narrow Gate Girls are thankful for so many things.



































The grace Jesus has lavishly given us (and you, if you accept it)

Our marriages

Our families

Our many blessings

which include...

YOU.

Happy Thanksgiving!

With One Week to Go

I received this as an e mail forward.
Please specifically pray mercy, grace, and that as a nation we would prayerfully consider the next 40 years, not just the next 4.

And then let's all remember this! (Me, most of all!)


Top 10 Predictions No Matter Who Wins the Election


1. The Bible will still have all the answers.
2. Prayer will still work.
3. The Holy Spirit will still move.
4. God will still inhabit the praises of His people.
5. There will still be God-anointed preaching.
6. There will still be singing of praise to God.
7. God will still pour out blessings upon His people.
8. There will still be room at the Cross.
9. Jesus will still love you.
10. Jesus will still save the lost when they come to Him.

AND GOD APPROVES THIS MESSAGE!

ISN'T IT A GREAT REMINDER TO KNOW WHO IS REALLY IN CONTROL !?!?




Julie Arduini is a surrendered writer with her own blog, The Surrendered Scribe. A graduate of the Christian Writers Guild, she also blogs for the Christian Writers Forum Sundays as the mommy blogger. She is active with FaithWriters and has several writings ready to publish in different books and anthologies in 2008-09. One of the books will be a quote in Kathy Vick's Simon and Schuster/Howard's gift book, "Run Like a Girl."You can also find Julie the third Wednesday of each month over at Take Root and Writewith her columns, Finding Freedom through Surrender and Marriage: Striving for Oneness. She facilitates groups by the same name at the sister social networking site, Christian Women Take Root.

Dispensers of Grace

Maybe I'm getting older, wiser, or more mature (I can at least vouch at the older part) but lately when negative news comes my way, I no longer feel like wagging my finger in disgust and writing that person or situation off. It wasn't that long ago I was a champion of sending political forwards off in rapid fire that would insult a candidate I wasn't voting for.

The last few weeks I felt God preparing me for something I'm not even quite sure of. I know the following words and sermons have hammered me though: perseverence. covering. dispenser of grace.

I watched the Saddleback Forum with both presidential candidates and left impressed. Both men are intelligent and passionate. They are in the position they are because they care. You can bet they will carry perseverence through these next couple months. Passion too. I found Rick Warren's questions well done and extremely telling.

Senator McCain sounded authentic when he admitted his biggest moral failure was his first marriage. Senator Obama was forthright on his stand on abortion. He could've spun it til the cows came home, but he even acknowledged not everyone is going to agree with where he stands. He's right, I am not on the same page on that issue, and to me, life is the top of the pyramid. If you are passionate for life, my thinking is you will have wisdom to take care of the economy and foreign relations. That's my opinion.

Anyway, I thoroughly enjoyed watching the interview and I felt the lines were clearly drawn on the issues and where voters will stand. Any hesitation I have is gone, I know where my vote is going come November. But the best thing of all is I truly want both men to prosper these next months and beyond. I wish neither humiliation, failure, or anything that is easy to get tripped up in during a presidential campaign. The Lord is molding me into what I see as a "dispenser of grace."

It's not just me, though. Over the weekend I read that Todd Bentley stepped down from the Lakeland outpouring and other ministry efforts. It appears that his marriage is in jeopardy from his own choices. I read interesting things from condemnation, sorrow, and everything in between.

For me, I hate when marriages are on shaky ground. I absolutely believe in having a covering and accountability for any ministry. I'm certainly not on the front row to anything in the limelight but I have a team that covers me and they have before I wrote one word for Him. Even with that covering I can't explain in words how hard I have felt attacked to quit, turn away or walk in the ways I used to travel. The very last thing I want to do is sneer at anyone going through such a public heartbreak.

Like Todd Bentley or not, people were radically healed. The glory from those healings go to Jesus Christ. And in my mind, the devil didn't want any part of that, so I'm grateful for all the people involved to date in the outpouring. I pray the healings continue---worldwide, right down to the Bentley family.

Wagging finger or dispenser of grace. Which would you like to be

Julie Arduini is a surrendered writer with her own blog, http://thesurrenderedscribe.blogspot.com/. A graduate of the Christian Writers Guild, she also blogs for the Christian Writers Forum Sundays as the mommy blogger. She is active with FaithWriters and has several writings ready to publish in different books and anthologies in 2008-09. One of the books will be a quote in Kathy Vick's Simon and Schuster/Howard's gift book, "Run Like a Girl."

You can also find Julie the third Thursday of each month over at Take Root and Write with her column, Finding Freedom through Surrender. She facilates a group by the same name at the sister social networking site, Christian Women Take Root.

To get to know her better, read her interview by Lynda Schab at:http://www.faithreaders.com/featured-author-details.php?id=33%20

To contact Julie, please use the e mail provided in our profile.

I Don't Know the Difference

I asked God what would He want me to share here today. My mind is full of "surrender" themes as the column on the "Finding Freedom Through Surrender" is live.

For some reason, I keep coming back to two books by two different entertainers in the Christian circles. Both are very gifted in song and both have a past with at least a tinge of scandal attached to their name.

One difference between them is one I carried such a grudge, the other, not so much.

I remember even before I was a Christian I was critical of Amy Grant. I can't pinpoint it really, perhaps I perceived her looking too close to the world. Besides her music, I just didn't see much that set her apart from anyone else. Maybe I should have thought on that more. Yet when her marriage crumbled and I remembered watching The Nashville Network with her former husband breaking down in tears as he hosted the show and wore his heart on his sleeve, I made a vow that her music would never be a part of my life. I judged her in a heartbeat.

Sandi Patty was a voice I didn't really know until after I was a Christian. What a voice. There is no version like her Star Spangled Banner. None. I remember hearing a bit about her marriage breaking up and some scuttlebutt about it, yet I never batted an eye.

A year or more I read her book, Broken in the Back Row. She was quite candid about many things, including family issues that included a divorce and the reason behind it. Sandi Patty's music was never banned from my house.

I have no idea why I'm meant to post on this, I have nothing profound or "a ha" to offer you, but in obedience, I'm posting it. I don't get why I judged one so harshly and not the other, without truly knowing their backgrounds or them personally.

I read a few months ago, Amy Grant's book, Mosaic: Pieces of My Life So Far. Again, it was out of obedience. My ban on her felt steadfast. As I turned the pages, I felt grace take over. Again, I don't know her whole story. But I felt God's gentle tug tell me, let this grudge go. As I continued reading I saw love, compassion and mercy pour out. Not mine, hers! Her and her husband, by reading, seem to be extremely compassionate and giving people to an extent I doubt I'll ever reach. I remain humbled by the lessons I learned about myself through that book.

Last year I went to Women of Faith and heard Sandi share more of her story with an update. I was riveted because I know what it's like to be married to someone who had a wife before me. Although circumstances are a little different, Sandi shared that her step children's mom was quite ill. At the same time, I knew my step children's mom was not feeling great and I had been praying for her. In Sandi's story, the mom was healed by promotion to heaven. Sandi wrote and sang a song in memory. Can you imagine a dry eye in that place? Can you imagine serving so sacrificially to someone who shared such an intimate place in your love's life? It was a humbling testimony.

Anyway, I don't know why I act the way I do and treat one person different than the other. I can recommend both these books and I can say this---I don't know the difference, but I know what I need to see everything the same as God. Grace.

Have you visited Christian Women Take Root? The Narrow Gate Invites girls are not only involved in the social networking site with fantastic groups to join but the main site called Take Root and Write. Open House and regular columns are going on this week, check it all out. We'll see you there...and hey---if you have a blog, Take Root has a blog roll. Give your blog some exposure and be associated with a quality Christian site!

Julie Arduini is a surrendered writer with her own blog, http://thesurrenderedscribe.blogspot.com/. A graduate of the Christian Writers Guild, she blogs for the Christian Writers Forum Sundays as the mommy blogger. She is active with FaithWriters and has several writings ready to publish in different books and anthologies in 2008-09. To get to know her better, read her interview by Lynda Schab at:http://www.faithreaders.com/featured-author-details.php?id=33%20To contact Julie, please use the e mail provided in our profile.

So Not Sanctified

Years ago I was involved in a conversation between two Christian women who were approaching a milestone birthday. They announced they felt by the time they approached that age, they would be sanctified. Back then I was intimidated by that comment because I viewed a sanctification as a holiness where angels sing and harps play.

Although I don't view things quite as perfect as that, the closer I get to that milestone I can attest, I will never this side of heaven be sanctified. It will always be a present process of striving for holiness. Just like an alcoholic that stops drinking they will say they are recovering, not recovered. It's always a current condition for them.

Last week I had the pleasure of escaping to dinner with Kim. I very rarely pick up a phone and ask for a night out because I talk myself out of such things thinking that person has better things to do. I'm so glad I called. Turns out Kim and I have much in common---the good, the bad, and as I'll post today---the ugly. My guess is Maria is the same, we just missed being able to hang with her too.

We said when we started this blog that we were going to blog about the deeper things of faith---our experiences, revelations, mistakes, fears...well we want to make sure we share our mistakes. The second you think we have our walk in Christ down perfectly, well, picture me tripping on that walk. A lot. And falling. And somedays, not even able to get up.

So this week I'm going to share my mistakes, my out and out rebelliousness that wasn't 10 years ago, but I'm sad to admit, as recent as last week. Next week to balance it out I'll try to share the growth God has given me. Again, not that I achieved perfection in any way, but as Joyce Meyer puts it, I'm not where I used to be. But sanctified? Oh no...

Case in point---

I tend to get very carnal, fleshy and just nasty under the following conditions: blocked goals, feeling inferior, too tired and hungry. Last week I was in a situation that I won't get specific about because I'm not sure if those that were there are reading this and honestly, my intent was wrong and I'm not sure my intent really came off as a bad deed. It could have looked like an accident but I truly know it wasn't. The issue is mine to deal with.

But imagine you are in a group setting with me and someone comes up to me and tells me with what I perceive as an air of authority that I am doing something wrong. I smile sweetly and give a pat and truthful answer, but on the inside I'm seething. Remember, I get fleshy when I feel against a wall. So when that same person walks by, I stick my leg out in hopes of tripping them. Not to hurt the person, but to make them feel as small as they made me feel.

Maybe that person never tripped but still, my intent was pure rebellion and as far from holy and sanctification as you can get.

There you have it. No angels play harps in my presence. No one stops in their tracks and says wow, that Julie, she is the epitome of perfection.

But hopefully, hopefully someone looks at me and realizes she goofs up, she sins, she doesn't get it a lot of the time. But she loves the Lord and He accepts her in His presence, especially unsanctified.

Just like you.

Julie Arduini is a surrendered writer with her own blog, http://thesurrenderedscribe.blogspot.com/. A graduate of the Christian Writers Guild, she blogs for the Christian Writers Forum Sundays as the mommy blogger and is the Forum's book club facilitator. She is active with FaithWriters and has several writings ready to publish in different books and anthologies in 2008-09. To get to know her better, read her interview by Lynda Schab at: http://www.faithreaders.com/featured-author-details.php?id=33%20

To contact Julie, please use the e mail provided in our profile.

Thank You

Two simple words stated about the most powerful moment in history.

The moment when all of our sins were nailed to a cross-- always to be forgiven.

Simple, yet profound words stated by my eight year old son.

He loves the Lord, is curious about learning more about the Bible, and prays directly from his heart to God.

He viewed a portion of “The Passion of the Christ” at church Easter morning, and to my surprise, he didn’t ask questions, and more importantly, he didn’t question the power of that moment. Then almost a week later, he decided to draw this simple picture to respond to that moment:




He didn’t ask why, he didn’t try to understand every detail leading up to that moment, but in his pure, sweet mind he just simply wanted to say thank you.

Wouldn’t it be wonderful if we adults could just let that moment be an opportunity to express our gratitude to Jesus for dying on the cross for our sins, and not allow our minds to over-analyze it?

Why do our minds make it so difficult?

He loved us enough to have his only son die for our sins.

We should be forever grateful.

Ah, what peace would come to all of us if we could make a conscious effort of choosing to not complicate the fact that He did it just for us…

Thank you.

Such wise words from such a small boy.

It’s really that simple.

Maria and her family reside in NE Ohio. She and her husband are the parents of two. Their daughter is a person with hemipelegic cerebral palsy. Because of her experiences, Maria provides parent-to-parent support for families involved in her local early intervention program. Her gift for writing has come directly from the Lord since her daughter’s diagnosis. She writes a monthly column entitled, “Special Parents, Special Kids” for the Mahoning Valley Parent magazine in Ohio; and has expanded into Parent magazines in parts of Pennsylvania and West Virginia. She is also a contributing author at www.mommiesmagazine.com. Maria is very passionate about getting the word out to special parents that they are not alone in their journey of raising their special child; and that they were chosen by God to parent their children. Maria welcomes comments and communication. If you would like to talk to her, please e-mail her. Our e mail address is in our profile. We also love comments!

The Welcome Mat

Like Kim, I remain mesmerized by the Passion Play performances I was able to watch from Palm Sunday through Resurrection Sunday. Each year the Lord gives me something new to really think and pray on, and this year is no different.

At the end of the play a veiled curtain comes down to show flashback scenes between Jesus, the woman caught in adultery, and the thief on the cross who believed. In front of the curtain are these folks in heaven wearing white robes. The thief lived a no good life and only in his last breaths did he believe.

Jesus was waiting with open arms.

The woman caught in adultery perhaps had years of service to the Lord but still, especially back then, you were to die for such a choice. Yet there she was in heaven, greeting Jesus.

He was waiting with open arms.

The song that plays during this exchange asks how did you get here and their answer is "By the Way of the Cross." There truly was no other way for them, or for me.

Somehow my thoughts took me to a welcome mat. In a worldly sense, had we known these folks, my guess is few of us would extend the welcome mat to them, then or now. A thief? What if he takes our things? What if he smells? He doesn't talk like our friends, he'll embarrass us.

An adulteress? What if she makes a pass at my spouse or son? What if she dresses in my clothes and uses my jewelry? What if she starts telling people her past?

Although the path to eternal life is a narrow gate, once you make that decision for Christ, His arms are wide open and the welcome mat is put out with no reservations.

Can I say the same? Can you?

A month or so ago I was speaking with someone whose church family is going through a pastoral transition. This person asked for advice and I was very candid about what I would look for. My list was so specific that they took it to the meeting and utilized it. One board member objected to one thing I brought up.

Is your church, would this pastor be ready and willing for the prostitute, the heroin addict, the pornographer to enter? I ask because with all my heart, I think Jesus is preparing the church for an outpouring of folks who have lived differently than most of us, and they are hungry for His love.

Would you extend the welcome mat?

This board member apparently shared that as a church, they needed to think about their reputation and if that a potential pastor wants to embrace "those people" well then they would have to reject that candidate.

My take is, you can dress sin up in a three piece suit, but it's still sin.

I want to be the Christian that doesn't just put the welcome mat out, but extends my hand. That I welcome the prosititute, the special needs child the adults don't know how to tolerate, the single parent, the gambler, the ex con, the porn addict, the porn star, the abortionist, the white collar executive who cheats on his taxes, the wife who cheats on her husband, and the board member too scared of change and personifies what I see as a religious spirit.

Am I there? I'd like to think so. I was feeling pretty good when I was at McDonalds and sat next to two teens dressed in Goth who mocked us when we prayed over our meal. I didn't sneer or hold my breath when a man came in who had old clothes and poor hygiene walked by and it was impossible to not notice.

Then today my neighbor shared that the house next door, now vacant, appears to have lost a potential tenant that sounded promising. The last family that came in was very loud, disruptive, and in situations that put the neighbors in possible danger. With the new tenant not moving in, the owner apparently was asking my neighbor how we would all feel about bringing in low income rent to own families.

I panicked.

In a flash, I saw me taking my welcome mat and shoving it inside my house where everything feels comfortable and safe. My vision of a low income rent to own situation is stereotypical and I confess I picture chaos, unruly kids, many pets, and people who have no respect for others or things. I base this on the last family that came in and really it isn't fair.

We're going to be in for a lot of surprises, here on Earth and even in heaven. From everything I've read, serial killer Ted Bundy made an authentic transformation to follower of Christ before his execution. When he arrived in heaven, the welcome mat was out. This man has as much of a place at the banquet table with Jesus as Mother Teresa. Can you wrap your mind around that? Without His grace, it's impossible.

So I write this knowing my welcome mat needs work. When I get the heaven and someone says, "Friend, how did you get here?" Well maybe my past isn't as a stripper, a killer or a thief. But my ticket to eternal life was stamped just the same as anyone with that experience.

I came by the way of the Cross.

Where the welcome mat is out.

Julie Arduini is a surrendered writer with her own blog, http://thesurrenderedscribe.blogspot.com/. A graduate of the Christian Writers Guild, she blogs for the Christian Writers Forum Sundays as the mommy blogger and is the Forum's book club facilitator. She is active with FaithWriters and has several writings ready to publish in different books and anthologies in 2008-09. Julie was chosen as the March 2008 FaithReaders.com author of the month. To get to know her better, read her interview by Linda Schab at: http://www.faithreaders.com/featured-author-details.php?id=33%20
To contact Julie, please contact her at the e mail address provided in the profile.