Why the End Times are Important

About a year ago, Jake was in an interesting conversation that caused both of us to do some thinking and studying. He was talking with a guy who mentioned his frustration when people focus on the end times. This guy went on to say something along the lines of "Yeah, we all know the end times are going to be horrible, but I'm not going to go lock myself in a prayer room." Interesting thoughts. This conversation, and many like it, have caused us to be sure of why God has called us to have understanding about this particular topic.

I have no idea what kind of audience I have reading this blog, but I do know that there are many open doors for me to offend people when talking about this topic. I don't pretend to have it all together or to know all of the answers, nobody does (Matthew 24:36). But what I do know is that we don't have to be in the dark about this subject. Ignorance is not bliss when this all goes down. There are varying opinions on how much the church will be around during the last days. With that said, I strongly believe that the church will be present on the earth during the end times and will face immense hardship and trials including the greatest falling away in human history, coupled with the most revived church the world has ever seen. I know this is strong language, but it's a reality a lot of Christians choose not to grapple with. All this is just an intro as I share about what Jake and I concluded from his earlier conversation.

So, why put any focus at all on the end times? Why does it matter so much?

1. Because the end of this story is essential. The early church seemed to think it mattered a lot. In multiple gospel messages preached by the apostles, the return of Jesus was mentioned. Paul talks to the church in Thessalonica in his second letter and mentions that he had already spoken to them quite a bit about the end times and he had only been among them for a few weeks! (2 Thess 2) Now, some might argue that the early church was convinced that they themselves were going to see the return of Jesus, while this is true, there's more to it than that. The early church knew that the gospel message was not complete without the resurrection of the dead and the return of Jesus. You're missing the end of the story if your only hope is to live a some what moral life and then go to heaven after you die. Jesus isn't planning on staying in Heaven forever, and neither will any of us who are saved. His inheritance is the Earth and all of the inhabitants, and He plans to live here, as a man, and rule over all the nations. That's a pretty HUGE part of the plot that so often is left out. Jesus hasn't forgotten. He can't wait to be one with His bride.

2. Because in the last days the love of many will grow cold. (Matthew 24:12) The church needs to know and understand what the Bible says about the end times so that we might not become offended and confused. Jesus is going to reveal His glory, leadership, jealousy, and justice in a way that many in the church are not prepared for. If we don't have revelation of the character of God, His plans, and His purposes, we may be among those who fall away because of the great delusion that will cover the earth.  Especially in the church in the west, who has little to no grid for suffering, we must be prepared so that we have unoffended hearts when trials and testings come. It is biblical for Christians to suffer, and I urge you to search that out for yourself if you feel bothered by me saying it. We must not be so foolish as to assume that our hearts will not grow cold. Our hearts are prone to this, and it takes extreme diligence to tend to the "garden of our heart" so that nothing chokes out life.

3. We are commanded to know the signs of the times so that we can keep watch and be ready. (Luke 21:29-36)(Matt 24:42-51)(1 Thess 5:1-8)
Many believers will throw away the study of the end times with this simple phrase; "No one can know the day or the hour, so why focus on it?" Many believe that Jesus could come back at any moment, maybe today, or tomorrow, or on Friday!! Jesus, Paul and Peter clearly state that this should not be the case for us as believers. Yes, we may not know the exact date or time that these things will happen, but we are commanded to know the season so that we will not be surprised. Jesus will see it as disobedience if we are surprised by His coming. I know that is strong language, but Jesus tells multiple parables (related to His coming) about a time of waiting and the punishment received for those not found ready (Parable of 10 virgins, parable of the talents, parable of the faithful servant to name a few). I can say with confidence that He's not coming back on Friday, and that confidence has come through the study of scripture and what has been said about His coming. Jesus, the apostles, and the old testament prophets have all given us signs to look for so that we can know we are in the last days. In fact, all 3 of those sources said more about the final generation than their own! The Bible talks more about Jesus' second coming than His first, because it is just that important! (over 150 chapters in the bible have a main focus on the end times)

These are only 3 reasons why it's so important to have a focus on the end times. Jake and I feel called to be messengers preparing the way for Jesus to come back. Do we believe we'll be alive when this all happens? Maybe. But it might happen when our children or grandchildren are on the earth and we will be held accountable for how we disciple them. There is so much in store for those who go on the journey of searching out the scriptures in regards to Jesus' return to the earth. Your confidence in God's sovereignty will grow, you'll feel more certain of the victory for the saints, and your fascination of Jesus will increase exponentially. It's all about this Man. It's way less about timelines and charts and figuring out all the intricate mysteries of the antichrist and the mark. The Father's desire is that our hope would be firmly anchored in the age to come where there will be no more crying or pain and He will dwell with man and remove everything that hinders love. That is something to rejoice in!

Maranatha! Come Lord Jesus!

New Tradition

One of the things Jake and I were most excited about for our anniversary was our new tradition.

We've decided that every year we're going to save all of our loose change for our anniversary. 

Exciting right?

I loved seeing our jar fill gradually over time.

It saw a significant increase when we had a generous waitress in the house who had more coins than she knew what to do with :) 

Can you believe there was almost $80 in there?!

(If you look closely, you can see some of Jake's pocket lint)

This tradition is in memory of our honeymoon.

During our last days in California we were slightly alarmed as we realized we were running out of money.

We had plenty of checks at home, waiting to be deposited, but our bank account was dwindling and we still had a few days to go.

So, what do we do? We cash in my small change jar that I had brought with for tolls and parking.

I wish I would have gotten a picture of us counting out our pennies and nickels in hopes of not being stranded in California. Oh what a memory!

Anyway, Jake planned a lovely evening for the two of us on our anniversary night.

We drove about 45 minutes away to a suburb of Philly for some walking, shopping, and a delightful dinner.

The place we ate at was way fancier than we're used to. The staff knew it was our anniversary and continued to congratulate us throughout the night as well as give us some complimentary drinks and a dessert. 

The restaurant was so whimsical and inspiring to be in.

Mason jar chandeliers, repurposed shudders, books hanging from the ceiling, and the comfiest floral chairs made for the perfect Jake and Lindy date.

You should totally check out the pictures: here.

So, the moral of the story?

Save your change!

Ode to Odelia

Two weekends ago I got to help throw a one year birthday bash for our friends' daughter, Odelia.

I like party planning.

I like making silly banners and pom-poms.

I like any excuse to get flowers.

So, this was a perfect way for me to help. 

Odelia is one of the prettiest lil baby girls I've ever seen and her party matched her perfectly.

Nicole is phenomenal in the kitchen, so the food was delightful

Here are some pics and of course, a video from our friend Rod

 she must have thought he looked hungry

from wardrobe worry to half-naked happiness!

Izzy hung out in the swing most of the time. Quiet, reserved, thoughtful, and people watching.

Mama & Baby

Today has been a hard day

One of those times where it seems like Izzy is crying more often than not

It's amazing where your heart, mind and nerves can go when you're a flustered mama trying to guess what this constant crying is about

You try everything, and then you anxiously await for their next nap

Lately I've been feeling far from perfect in the area of motherhood

There are so many times that I have no idea what I'm doing

There are two things that I keep coming back to

One: the leadership of the Holy Spirit is perfect

Two: God is after the state of my heart, not my perfect parenting

So, in the midst of the floundering and guessing and mistakes, I fight for a surrendered heart

One that is quick to listen, willing to repent, slow to panic, and abounding in thanksgiving and praise

Being the parent God has called me to be looks a lot less like a well dressed, superbly fed, and developmentally elite baby and a lot more like a quiet 'yes' on the inside that says;

"Lord, do what you will"

When Two Become One

Yesterday, Jake and I celebrated our 2 year anniversary.

I've been thinking about our wedding day lately and how special and meaningful it ended up.

I was talking with a friend a few weeks ago and she said how our wedding made her cry almost the whole time and that she really felt the presence of God.

That's something we wanted, to honor God and make a statement of what our marriage was going to be about.

One of the most powerful moments of that day was when our dear friends Ryan & Noelle played a song with a vivid message about the biblical understanding of marriage.

I cried the whole time as I thought about how much God had in store for us.

I was learning, and still am, that marriage is so much more than just two people living together. 

It's such a beautiful picture of Christ and the church that God also loves to use to refine us.

Nothing like getting married to give you lessons on humility

Well, except maybe having a baby. :)

I'm no longer my own. 

I am Jake's and he is mine.

We're one, and I couldn't be happier about that choice.

Here's the song, written by Clay Edwards:

I want a love that is patient 

I want a love that is kind 

I want a love that endures through the test of time 

No evidence of pride to be found in my life 

When two become one (4x) 

Bone of bone flesh of flesh 

When two become one it’s a mystery 

He lays down his life she lays down hers 

They grow in love and humility 

Hallelujah there’s more to this love than you and me 

Hallelujah we’re living for a different age, for eternity 

As iron sharpens iron 

You will sharpen me 

And we will have hearts of love to give

We will have hearts of love to give 

We will have hearts of love to give 

Our Lord and our King

shout outs: 

wedding photography by Emily Christine Photography

wood carved cake topper by Cameron Quie

girls hair clips and guys boutonnieres by The Living Bouquet

cake, cupcakes, and appetizers by Jadah Sanchez

groomsmen crocheted ties by Inglenook Yarn Craft

pearl earrings and necklace - my granny's

handmade gauges by Omerica Organic

my wedding dress by BHLDN

my dress alterations - my mom, 2 days before the wedding! she's amazing!!!