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Welcome! I’m Deborah. So glad you’re here!

Here you’ll find encouraging, Scripture-filled posts and Bible study tips. Because theology is for every mom! Get to know me here.

Here’s what I’ve written lately…

Ep. 17 Dressing Modestly | Theology of Clothing
Ep. 16 Snakes, Deception, and Clothing | Genesis 3:1-7 | Book by Book
What to Watch With Your Children | Naptime Theologian Approved Shows and Movies
Ep. 15 Screen Time and Our Kids | How to Glorify God
Sabbath Rest | Calvin’s Comments | Genesis 2

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I've recently picked back up the Gospel Primer by

I've recently picked back up the Gospel Primer by Milton Vincent and have been reading it every day again... Wow! It's so good! Here's what I read today:

"Boldness is critical. Without boldness, my life story will be one of great deeds left undone, victories left unwon, petitions left unprayed, and timely words unsaid. If I wish to live only a pathetically small portion of the life God has prepared for me, then I need no boldness. But if I want my life to bloom full and loom large for the glory of God, then I must have boldness - and nothing so nourishes boldness in me like the gospel! The gospel gives me boldness first by banishing my greatest fear, the fear of God's eternal wrath. Indeed, Christ bore God's wrath upon Himself, not simply so I could escape that wrath on some future day, but also that I might be released from the daily fear of such wrath as I think ahead to judgment day. Because this fear hinders the ongoing work of God in me, the love of God continually expels this fear (whenever it appears) and nurtures within me a confident eagerness to face God on judgment day. Living in the daily relief of this fear frees me up to continue being perfected in confidence by the love of God, and it also serves to put all other fears, especially the fear of man, into perspective.

Additionally, the more I experience the life-transforming power of the gospel, the more confident I am in speaking it to others, both saved and lost. I know what the gospel can do in people's lives if they would believe the fullness of it, because I see what it is doing in me and in others. Therefore, I have increasing boldness to speak the whole gospel to others, even amid opposition...

Preaching the gospel to myself each day nourishes within me a holy brazenness to believe what God says, enjoy what He offers, and do what He commands. Admittedly, I don't deserve to be a child of God and I don't deserve to be free of sin's guilt and power. I don't deserve the staggering privilege of intimacy with God, nor any other blessing that Christ has purchased for me with His blood. I don't even deserve to be useful to God. But by the grace of God I am what I am and I have what I have."

Mighty God, I humble myself for faculties misused,

Mighty God,
I humble myself for faculties misused,
opportunities neglected,
words ill-advised,
I repent of my folly and inconsiderate ways,
my broken resolutions, untrue service,
my backsliding steps,
my vain thoughts.
O bury my sins in the ocean of Jesus' blood
and let no evil result from my fretful temper,
unseemly behaviour, provoking pettiness.
If by unkindness I have wounded or hurt another,
do thou pour in the balm of heavenly consolation;
If I have turned coldly from need, misery, grief,
do not in just anger forsake me;
If I have withheld relief from penury and pain,
do not withhold thy gracious bounty from me,
If I have shunned those who have offended me,
keep open the door of thy heart to my need.

Fill me with an over-flowing ocean of compassion,
the reign of love my motive,
the law of love my rule.

O thou God of all grace, make me more thankful, more humble;
Inspire me with a deep sense of my unworthiness arising from
the depravity of my nature, my omitted duties,
my unimproved advantages, thy commands violated by me.
With all my calls to gratitude and joy may I remember
that I have reason for sorrow and humiliation;
O give me repentance unto life;
Cement my oneness with my blessed Lord,
that faith may adhere to him more immovably,
that love my entwine itself round him more tightly,
that his spirit may pervade every fibre of my being.
Then send me out to make him known to my fellow-men.
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-- from The Valley of Vision
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📸: Cirencester Church, Gloucestershire

Satan first just gave Eve a hint by planting that

Satan first just gave Eve a hint by planting that seed of doubt: “Did God really say you shall not eat from any tree of the garden?” That’s exactly what the serpent does with us today. “Did God really say you have to put others before yourself or is a little more ‘me time’ exactly what you need?” “Did God really say you have to submit yourself to your husband even when you don’t feel like it?” “Did God really say you need to discipline your children with humility and kindness or is your raised voice understandable because you’re upset?”

All it took was that one little question for Eve’s heart to decline from faith, as Calvin puts it. He is describing the fall and how that small seed of doubt planted by the serpent grew into sin. He says, “Eve could previously behold the tree with such sincerity, that no desire to eat of it affected her mind; for the faith she had in the word of God was the best guardian of her heart, and of all her senses. But now, after the heart had declined from faith, and from obedience to the word, she corrupted both herself and all her senses, and depravity was diffused through all parts of her soul as well as her body. It is, therefore, a sign of impious defection, that the woman now judges the tree to be good for food, eagerly delights herself in beholding it, and persuades herself that it is desirable for the sake of acquiring wisdom; whereas before she had passed by it a hundred times with an unmoved and tranquil look.”

Eve went quickly from looking at the tree without a second thought, to desiring it for herself. We see that in her first response where she has already changed what God originally told them not to do in chapter 2. She added that they were not to touch the tree, God never said anything about touching the tree. Do you see how quickly we can be deceived into thinking that God’s ways are not best?

Read/listen to the full post on Genesis 3 and Eve's deception at the link in my stories.

We don’t have to look far to find immodesty in o

We don’t have to look far to find immodesty in our culture today. Simply switch on the TV, flip through a magazine, or walk through the grocery store, immodesty is everywhere. Our over-sexualized culture celebrates clothes that do not cover and garments that glitter. Clearly, our culture cares about what you wear. The art, music, and literature of today want to empower women by self-expression in scanty clothing. Their message is that it is more inspiring, feminine, and acceptable to show off our bodies than to cover them up, that shame of any sort regarding our physique is not appropriate, and that women should be free to dress however they desire.

The Christian must ask, “does God feel the same way?” “Does God care about what you wear?”

We don’t have to look far to find modesty in the Bible. In the opening chapters of Genesis, we find God as the very first clothing designer. Adam and Eve have just sinned, and they are now ashamed of their nakedness in the garden. They attempt to cover up their shame by stringing leaves together into loincloths (Genesis 3:7). When God later came to the garden and found Adam and Eve, He first addressed their sin, but then addressed their shame.

Genesis 3:21 says, “The Lord God made garments of skin for Adam and his wife, and clothed them.” Their little loincloths were not sufficient to cover the shame of their sin, so God made them garments, or tunics, to cover up their bodies. This was not because their bodies were imperfect, rather they were exposed. The point of clothing in this passage is to cover up Adam and Eve’s shame, the shame of the first sin. They were naked, utterly exposed, and God gave them dignity by providing proper clothing for their bodies so that they were no longer ashamed.

We are exactly like Adam and Eve, stuck in the shame of sin. It’s not until Jesus stepped into the world and took our place on the cross that it all changed.
Read the full article on forthegospel.org or click the link in my stories.

Does God Care What Women Wear?

Yes, God uses snakes. ☺️ The first character m

Yes, God uses snakes. ☺️
The first character mentioned in Genesis 3 is none other than the serpent. The text says, “Now the serpent was more crafty than any beast of the field which the LORD God had made.

Maybe this seems like a small question, but I had never thought about this before. Why did Satan use the serpent instead of any other animal that God had created? The Bible clearly states that the snake or serpent was already cunning and crafty on its own, that’s how God made it.

In John Calvin’s commentary on this verse, he points out that Jesus actually tells the disciples to be “prudent as serpents” in Matthew 10:16. So, we shouldn’t read this first verse of chapter 3 with a negative tone. Rather, Moses is highlighting an aspect of God’s creation in describing the serpent as crafty. And even though it’s Satan who is using the snake in this passage, remember that Moses is actually pretty familiar with God using snakes for His own purposes. We have the first reference to this later in this chapter to God sending someone to “crush the head” of the serpent in Genesis 3:15.

Then in Moses’ personal life God used snakes as well. In Exodus 4 Moses’ staff is turned into a snake to show God’s power to Pharaoh. Then, in Numbers 21, snakes attack the Israelites in judgment from God and Moses is told to make the bronze snake that’s lifted up and when the people look to the bronze snake, they are healed. So, Moses knew from personal experience what snakes were like and it makes sense for him to include this note at the beginning of Genesis 3 about snakes being crafty.

That bronze serpent that Moses made is actually in the Bible two more times, once during the time of the kings and it’s referred to in the New Testament by John. In 2 Kings 18, Hezekiah has just come onto the throne as king of Judah and it says in verse 4 that “he removed the high places and broke down the sacred pillars and cut down the Asherah. He also broke in pieces the bronze serpent that Moses had made, for until those days the sons of Israel burned incense to it; and it was called Nehushtan.” ... Continued in comments ⬇️⬇️⬇️

This is 27! 🎉 Pictured: 1) stopping to smell t

This is 27! 🎉
Pictured: 1) stopping to smell the roses at the oldest botanic garden in England, 2) finally learning how to do sourdough bread this weekend, 3) learning the laws of cricket as we watch Dada play, 4) drinking lots of water and meat stock (not at the same time 😆), 5) starting a garden with my friends!
Not pictured: the ups and downs of living in a foreign country, the frustrations and joys of training a 4-year-old, seeing God's faithfulness in little and big ways. ❤️

I started growing a garden! Here in England there

Two little lines. . Two little lines and I kne

Two little lines.

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Two little lines and I knew,
Knew that in me was a little one: you.
Knew that the rest of my life would be different,
My time would go elsewhere, my choices would be rent.
There'd be laughter and joy, but also blood, sweat and tears,
Trials and triumphs over the years.

But how could I know in that moment of time,
How God would use those two little lines?
I didn't know that this life inside me,
Would humble me quick and force me to see,
That God is the one who gives strength to the weary,
He is the one who knows what each one will be.
He's had a plan straight from the start,
To mold and make His children have His heart.
Each part of our lives, even pregnancy,
is planned by our Lord. Don't you agree?

When I first saw those lines I may have had doubts,
But Psalm 139 ushered them out.
Beautifully formed in the womb by God,
This little baby was made to laud.
Honor and glory to God on the throne,
For this little one who made me her home.
I'm so grateful to Him for this journey of mine,
Though at times it's been hard and serpentine,
Each step has been worth it, I cannot deny.
And it all began with those two little lines.

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13 For you formed my inward parts; you knitted me together in my mother's womb. 14 I praise you, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made. Wonderful are your works; my soul knows it very well. 15 My frame was not hidden from you, when I was being made in secret, intricately woven in the depths of the earth. 16 Your eyes saw my unformed substance; in your book were written, every one of them, the days that were formed for me, when as yet there was none of them. (Psalm 139:13-16, ESV)

Let's talk about Lilacs. See this gate? It's the o

Let's talk about Lilacs.
See this gate? It's the one I pull my bike and trailer out of multiple times a day. Each time, the flag that sticks up from my trailer catches on at least one of those slightly over-hanging branches. Now, I moved into my house last July and that bush was only green, I had no idea what it was. Every day since then I've hit it and tugged my bike flag past it just wondering why it's there, why no one has trimmed it back, and why does it have to get in my way as I head outside... Pretty annoyed with it, honestly!
Well, I felt pretty stupid about my on pettiness when one day last week, all these beautiful purple blooms opened up and now I smell the wonderful scent of lilacs each and every time I pull my bike and trailer past. This whole time I was frustrated and upset about one of the most beautiful things being in my way. Now I'm so thankful it's there for me to enjoy.
Obviously, I would NOT describe bumping into a lilac bush as a hard thing or a trial but it did make me think...
We go through hard things in life and then remember them afterward with sorrow or pain. But then God being the compassionate and merciful God that He is redeems those hard things and teaches us something new. Then we can look back and be thankful for what He's done in our lives and enjoy the gifts He's given through difficulty. This must be part of why Peter encourages us to "count it all joy" when we fall into various trials. He knew they would result in "praise, glory, and honor" to Jesus Christ our Lord.

This is me, wandering through a 16th-century cathe

This is me, wandering through a 16th-century cathedral finding where the light seeps through the stained glass windows. Maybe you're new and wondering how I got here...
1. Married the man of my dreams 7 years ago after meeting in college.
2. Worked full time for Joni and Friends while my new husband was in seminary.
3. Stopped working to stay at home with my new-born daughter after 3 years.
4. Started learning SO much as a new mom that I had to write about it in blog form.
5. My husband finished seminary and got accepted into Oxford University's doctorate program... Was not sure it would work out due to the vid.
6. Amazingly, the Lord saw fit for us to move to England and live here for a few years.
7. Now we run in any and every little chapel or big cathedral we pass... Most are breathtaking, not all have as much stained glass as this one though. 😉
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I am so thankful for all the adventures we've had so far here in England. And I'm thankful to share some of it with you all in these little squares on IG. I always seek to share what I'm learning, struggling with, and discovering about God and His Word (theology), Bible study, and motherhood. We have had many visitors to our little corner of England lately so I've been busy playing tour guide. I'm looking forward to a more normal week this week and getting back into our routine of school and housework.
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What are you looking forward to this week? Let me know in a comment! Thanks for being here. ❤️

I love being a mom, but sometimes I love getting t

I love being a mom, but sometimes I love getting to watch him be a dad even more. ❤️

Man, this Spurgeon devotional cut to the quick and

Man, this Spurgeon devotional cut to the quick and stepped on my toes. How often do I take sin lightly in my words? Actions? Thoughts? Swipe through to read it all! ❤️
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#spurgeonquotes #spurgeon #devotional #graceupongrace

“Mothering can seem an isolated occupation unrel

“Mothering can seem an isolated occupation unrelated to anything beyond the immediate needs of the family, but there is no more natural way for a mother to influence her world for Christ than through her own children. We will touch few lives with more intensity than the children God has placed in our homes.” – Jean Fleming

Mamas, your home is your mission field. Want to make a difference in the world? Be at home with your children and raise them in God’s ways. I remember being a teenager and longing to go overseas as a missionary. I even took classes in college to learn how to teach English as a second language. Then I got married and later had a baby. So… I’d be stuck at home from now on? Yes, but from now on my home IS my mission field. And how convenient that I don’t have to fly on a plane, eat different food, or take Malaria medication in order to serve there. I simply have to wake up in the morning and say, “Here I am, Lord, on the mission field you’ve stuck me in, use me!”

I simply loved this piece of art at the Ashmolean museum. Here’s a mama impacting her world one baby cuddle at a time. ❤️

#Christianmotherhood #christianparenting #sahm #motheringforchrist #motherhoodquotes

God graciously created male and female from the sa

God graciously created male and female from the same origin. That makes women and men equals. They’re both created specially by God, formed by Him, and formed for a special purpose: to be together.

God also graciously gave us specific roles for both male and female to possess and live out. Because they were created equally, Adam could see himself in Eve, hence the line “bone of my bone, flesh of my flesh.” And because Eve was created out of Adam, she could willingly submit to him knowing that they were created equally by God. Calvin pointed out that if man and woman were created from two separate origins, there would be strife and contention because they would start off pitted against each other. And then Calvin went on to say, “Something was taken from Adam, in order that he might embrace, with greater benevolence, a part of himself.” God graciously created man and woman to have the same origin so that they could live together in harmony.

What are your thoughts?

#genesisstudy #genesis2 #biblestudy #creation #theologymatters

Remember from Genesis 1 that as God created the ea

Remember from Genesis 1 that as God created the earth, He looked back over what He had created and saw that it was good. This is stated multiple times: “God saw that it was good, God saw that it was good, God saw that it was good.”

Then we come to Genesis 2:18 and what do we read? “Then the Lord God said, ‘It is not good for the man to be alone; I will make him a helper suitable for him.’”

This is called a malediction. You’re probably familiar with a benediction, where you get blessed at the end of the church service. But when God said, “It is not good.” That is a bad saying, or a recognition of something bad. So the very first thing in the Bible that receives a bad saying or a malediction from God is human loneliness.

Now we all want to be alone sometimes. And I especially think of moms with young children when it comes to wanting peace and quiet and aloneness. But that is not what God is saying is bad here in Genesis 2:18. What He declares to be “not good” is that Adam doesn’t have anyone like him with which to live.

The rest of the Genesis chapter 2 tells us how God graciously created woman to be the perfect helpmate to man. New blog and podcast linked in my stories.

#genesis #Genesis2 #bookbybook #theologyforeverymom

Here I am standing in my kitchen full of groceries

Here I am standing in my kitchen full of groceries. And here are my top 5 tips for you to get some time in the Bible today:
1. Pull out the alarm clock and wake up before your family. It's hard, but worth it.
2. Pull out your Bible and let it fall open on either the dining room table or your kitchen counter. It'll most likely fall to Psalms where you can easily read a chapter in 1-2 minutes.
3. Pull out the pencils, crayons, and paper and read a chapter to your kids while they color. 🖍️
4. Pick a Bible verse to memorize with your kids and teach them hand motions. Maybe the fruit of the Spirit? Maybe Ephesians 1? Go for it!
5. Pull out your smartphone and download the Bible.is app, now you can listen to Scripture being read to you while you wash dishes or put the groceries away like me. 🙌
I find that Bible reading often doesn't happen because I haven't trained myself to think that even a little bit of the Word each day is better than nothing for it's the Bible that is "living and active and sharper than any two-edged sword, and piercing as far as the division of soul and spirit, of both joints and marrow, and able to judge the thoughts and intentions of the heart." I definitely need it throughout my day!
What's your go-to way to get the Bible in your day? Leave a comment to let me know!
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(Hebrews 4:12)
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#biblestudy #proverbs31mom #motheringforchrist #christianmotherhood

If you ever feel scatter brained and wonder what y

If you ever feel scatter brained and wonder what you are going to make for dinner, you need to go through my stories today! Meal planning has really saved me so much time as a mom/homemaker. It also helps me to stay in our budget. Speaking of budgets, this is not my table, it's from Blenheim Palace. 😉 Blog post linked in stories.
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#homemakingtips #wearehomemakers #homemaker #mealplanning #proverbs31mom

Someone at church on Sunday asked me what my job w

Someone at church on Sunday asked me what my job was and when I said that I stay home with my daughter full time she said excitedly, "Ooh! That is the dream job!" I was surprised by her comment, but she's definitely right! Being at home to nurture my daughter and care for our family is definitely my dream job. And I'm so blessed to share what I'm learning with you all here on IG. ❤️ Some of my favorite things about being a SAHM are:
-waking up with my toddler next to me.
-making breakfast with her on the counter.
-reading through the Bible together and answering her questions.
-trying out new gluten-free recipes.
-fixing her hair into braids.
-cleaning the bathroom together.
-no rush to be places or to work on time, my work is right in front of me all day.
What's your favorite thing about being a SAHM/homemaker? Let me know in a comment! 😘
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#sahm #stayathomemom #traditionalmom #traditionalwife

Have you read the whole Bible? What about the whol

Have you read the whole Bible? What about the whole Bible in a year? What about reading the whole Bible in just one month?! Well, I was able to get through the whole Bible last month and I have to tell you all about it.

This past month of January, I took up a challenge to read the whole Bible in one month. To be honest, I didn’t plan to do this and jumped in rather spontaneously. But now that I’ve come through to the end of the month and the end of the Bible reading, I am very thankful I got to give it a try.

Reading through the Bible in a month (or about 30 days) was very different than how I’ve read my Bible before which helped me learn a lot, and I think if you were to challenge yourself to read the whole Bible in 30 days, you’d learn a lot too. So today I’m sharing 4 lessons that I learned by personally reading the Bible in about one month. New blog and podcast linked in my stories.
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#biblestudy #biblereading #biblereadingplan #deeplyrooted #womenintheword

I love them. But that is only because of God's lov

I love them. But that is only because of God's love for me. First John 4:19 says, "We love because He first loved us."

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