What is Reformation Day? (and Why It Matters)

The Protestant Reformation was an important part of the Christian heritage that brought needed change to the church. What is the Protestant Reformation, why does it matter, and what are we celebrating on "Reformation Day"? Learn more about Reformation Day and why it matters today!

What Is Reformation Day?

Did you know that Halloween isn't the only holiday that falls on October 31st? On October 31st, 1517, Martin Luther nailed the 95 Theses to the door of his local church, detailing his rebuttal of the works-based salvation, indulgences (the idea that people could pay the priests for forgiveness), and the false belief that only the church leaders had the ability to interpret the bible- not the everyday people.

Reformation Day has never been something I've thought about, honestly. I mean, I knew it was a good thing for Christians that the Reformation happened, but I never thought to celebrate the anniversary or really pay attention to it. But the more I've learned about the Protestant Reformation and what we are celebrating on Reformation Day, the more I have come to appreciate the significance of it.

Through the Protestant Reformation, lies were exposed, salvation by grace alone through faith alone was lifted high again, and Christians began to understand that they could read the Bible for themselves. Those are gifts to us who believe, friends.

Why the Reformation Matters

God Uses Nobodys

Martin Luther was just some random monk. That's all. A monk who beat himself up over his sin constantly. A monk who thought he needed to physically hurt himself and constantly do penance in order to earn God's forgiveness for his sins. And God chose to use him to bring about the entire history of the Protestant church. He used him so that we could see that we could read the bible for ourselves, that we could come to God in prayer and ask forgiveness of our sins without the help of a priest or a confessional. God used Martin Luther to remind us that salvation is by grace alone, not of ourselves (Ephesians 2:8-9).

God used a nobody to bring about something huge. That's not the first time he's done it that way, and it's not the last.
We have a great privilege and calling to serve God with our lives, and he often uses "the little people" to do big things.

God Calls Us to Himself

The fact that we are allowed to come to God on our own- that we can talk to him, read his words, learn about him, and be led by him- is a deep truth that the Reformation displays. Before that, many people weren't living as if that were true at all. They were paying paying the Church money because they were told that was the way to escape purgatory. They confessed their sins to a priest in the place of going to God.  They also believed that the only right way to do church was to listen to scripture readings that were solely in Latin, which meant that they had no idea what was going on, and they just had to trust whatever the priest told them was true about the Bible.

But the truth of the matter is that God calls us to himself. We don't have to go through all those other means. It was never necessary, and thanks to the Reformation, we can now live that out.

We Should Not Reject What the Reformation Allowed

One thing I've been thinking about for the past few days, is how much we take our Bibles for granted. I mean, I already knew that, and I have heard plenty of sermons on the matter. But when I think about what the Reformers went through just so we could have the opportunity to sit in our PJs while we read whatever passage of scripture we feel like- that's when I realize how ridiculous it is that I don't take the time to read God's word each day.

Sure, there are probably better reasons to be convicted about not taking the time to dive into God's word- like, ya know, the whole Jesus dying on the cross thing- but the reformation provides just another reason to take advantage of the freedom we have to know God through his word.

Friends, we have a great privileged to know God more, and there's no reason not to actively live in that gift. God used the Reformation to free many from the lie that we can't come to him on our own. He reminded us that our sins are forgiven through Christ alone, by faith, not by works, and not because we sought out a priest for help. God also used the Reformation to remind us that we can read scripture for ourselves, in our own language, so that we can get to know God without having to have someone reading to us from the Latin version.

Our protestant heritage shouldn't be taken for granted. Our salvation shouldn't be treated as mundane, and the accessibility of scripture should be deeply appreciated. As one of the speakers from the weekend said,

"If your sermon, message, or ministry is lacking a focus on the scriptures, then it is lacking God himself!"

Let us not take our faith or the sacrifices of those before us for granted, and let us live with thankfulness for the freedom we have.

Dear Taylor: A Mushy-Gushy Letter to my Hubby for His Birthday

Dear Taylor,

Happy birthday, handsome! I hope today is amazing for you.

As your wife, I am particularly glad you were born. Our marriage would be a little tougher to maintain if you hadn't been. 😉

From God delivering you from a doctor who assumed your mom would want to abort you because of her age, to his leading us both to Montreat College, I'm so glad that God protected us, directed our paths, and caused them to cross.

You are the most patient person I have ever met. You are the quickest to forgive. The quickest to let things go.

You are hilarious. You make me laugh even when I really just want to be grumpy with you. Your dry, sarcastic sense of humor has resulted in more deep "belly laughs" than I can count.

When we first met, I thought theology was for people who wanted to think about God, but didn't really want a personal relationship with him. But in you I have seen how untrue that is. I've watched you change, grow, and deepen your relationship with God through theology, and that has been so fun to see.

You treat me with respect and love. You look at me like you love me. And you don't "vent" to other people about me when I am being obnoxious.

You let me know you are attracted to me, and you don't let my weight bother you.

You support my dreams even when they seem far-fetched.

Basically, you're amazing. I love you so much! I wish I showed it more, but I am thankful that you look past my flaws and love me anyway.

Thank you for your hard work. Working nearly full-time and going to seminary full-time for two years straight is no easy task. But you've done it with minimal complaining and a good attitude. I'm proud of you, thankful for you, and I appreciate you.

Happy 27th birthday, handsome! Thank you for choosing me and wanting a life with me. I look forward to spending a life's worth of birthdays with you!

Love,
Kristin

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Who Is Jesus? A Deeper Look at His Character

Over the last month, I have been attending a women's Bible study on the book of Hebrews. It's taught by an amazing professor at Taylor's seminary and it is an extremely in-depth study. So much so that it will most likely take us a year and a half to finish the book (which only has 13 chapters)! When I first heard that it was going to take us more than a year to finish, I wondered if I might get bored. But I discovered very quickly that I wouldn't need to worry about that.

One of the themes we've discussed so far is Jesus' character and whether he is more like a lion or a lamb (a reference found in Revelation 5:5-6, but was brought up during our study of Hebrews). Growing up in a Christian home, I knew that the right answer was that Jesus is both lion and lamb. I've known that since I was young. But the downside to always "knowing it", is that sometimes you don't really stop and contemplate what that really means.

When talking about Jesus' character, it's important to learn as much as we can, which means taking a deeper look at both his lion-like and lamb-like qualities. And that's what I would like to explore with you today.

He Gives Mercy 

In Mark 6:34, Jesus sees a crowd from far away and sees that they are wandering aimlessly. It would have been easy for him to decide that he was too tired to deal with them, or maybe that he would rather have a bubble bath for a self-care night. But Jesus didn't retreat and he didn't opt for "me time". He went to the people, seeing they needed some help, and he "had compassion on them".

Jesus is the forgiver of sins. He gives us grace when we don't deserve it, and covers for us even when we fail over and over again. He sees how lost we are. He sees how confused we get. He sees how often we stumble. He understands our weakness and loves us anyway.

He Judges 

2 Corinthians 5:10 says that all of us will one day stand before the judgement seat of Jesus to give an account of our lives. Jesus is merciful, yes, but he also hates sin. He cannot coexist with sin. And he understands the entirety of how bad sin actually is, when we only understand pieces of it.

Jesus always loves us- so much so that he will not just shrug his shoulders and leave us the way we are, because he knows that sin is not a good place to call home. He offers his gift of salvation in mercy, but those who do not receive it will be judged by the same Jesus who loves them fiercely.

He is Fierce (He is Not Safe)

There is a quote from The Lion, The Witch, and The Wardrobe (C.S. Lewis) where Susan asks whether or not Aslan the Lion is safe. And Mr. Beaver's response is as follows:

Safe? Who said anything about safe? 'Course he isn't safe. But he's good. He's the King, I tell you.

This quote really strikes me every time I hear it because it is so true of God. Though we are safe in God's arms, God himself is not safe (read: "tame"). God is the King of the universe. He isn't timid. He doesn't "wait his turn". He isn't politically correct. And he doesn't wait for permission to work in the world. Following him means that there is always a grand adventure ahead of us, and that things may get topsy-turvy while we are alive on this earth, but he is always, always good!

For more on Jesus' fierce side, see Matthew 21 and pay particular attention to verses 12-13.

He is Gentle

Despite the fact that Jesus is fierce, he doesn't use it against us. Instead, he is gentle with us when we need it most, just as he is a disciplinarian when we need it most.

The bible says that Jesus' calling on our lives is not a heavy burden, but rather that he is gentle and that his burden is light (Matthew 11:28-30). This doesn't mean that it's easy to follow God, but rather following God isn't harsh, burdensome, or heavy.

Jesus is gentle in that he puts other's first (1 Corinthians 13:4-7), is humble (John 13:12-15), and does what is necessary to help us (Matthew 14:13-21).

He is Blunt 

John 4:4-26 recounts Jesus' encounter with the Samaritan woman at the well. In those days, a typical Jew and a typical Samaritan would not speak to each other. In fact, Jews would go out of their way (and on a much longer journey than necessary) just to avoid speaking with Samaritans. But Jesus didn't do what your typical person would do. Instead, he went straight to the well and not only talked to a Samaritan, but talked to a Samaritan woman who had been married five times, which made her a complete outcast in her community.

Jesus, however, showed her great kindness by speaking to her with gentleness, humility, and with genuine interest in what she had to say. And then, Jesus also called out her sin in looking for fulfillment in the husbands she had had over the years. He wasn't rude or crude. He didn't call her names or tell her she was horrible. But he did truthfully and bluntly call out her sin.

We don't like being called out. People who are blunt rub us the wrong way. And sometimes that's because of they way they do it, but if we are honest, it's often just because we don't like being confronted with our own sins. But friends, Jesus is the ultimate sin-confronter. He is that way because 1.) he is holy, and 2.) because he loves us. And if we truly want to experience the character of Jesus, we cannot leave that part out.

So Much More

There are so many other character traits that we can attribute to Jesus, but honestly, if I were to try to capture all of them in one blog post (or 20), we would be here for daysssss. So for now, this is my list. It is not all-encompassing, and it is a humble, feeble attempt on my part, but hopefully you will find it helpful nonetheless.

My hope is to grow in my understanding of Jesus' character and share that with you. We are on this journey together. Let's grow in God together!

10 Peculiar Things About Me + A Free Playlist

Twenty-seven years old. How is that possible?! Sometimes, I still feel like a teenager. Okay, let's be honest...most of the time that's how I feel. It's crazy to me that I am old enough to be married, renting a home, and completely in charge of my day-to-day. And I have all ideas that I will still feel the same way when I am old, grey, and wrinkled.

I think feeling like a kid is just part of life. Or maybe it's just part of my nature. I don't really know for sure. But what I do know is that I want to be young at heart in the moments that it's helpful, but have the maturity and wisdom to stifle that when adulting is necessary.

Thankfully, as a general rule, my life has been fairly simple. I have had luxuries that not everyone get's to experience (i.e. a family that loves me really well, the ability to have hobbies, fuzzy pets to love on, etc). And I am grateful for those things.

My 27 years on this earth have been blessed, provided for, and enriched by God, his mercies, and the gifts he has given me. I don't derserve it, but I am thankful for what I have.

So here's to 27 years! Life isn't perfect, it isn't easy, and it can get messy, but I love the life I live and am thankful for what it is and what it is becoming.

In honor of my birthday weekend, and in honor of the quirkiness that I like to infuse into the world around me, I decided to share some peculiar things about me 😉

10 Peculiar Things About Me

1. I talk in my sleep. Taylor says that earlier this week I was having a discussion with myself about where to put a desk that needed moving 😂
   
2. Other than our thumbs, my Nana and I have almost identical hands.
   
3. I get freaked out by my own veins. If I look at them for too long, I get really nervous.
   
4. I went through a short phase in middle school when my snack of choice was Cheetos and orange juice.
   
5. If you readjust the rear view mirror in my car, you die. It's that simple. 😡
   
6. I hate the seams in clothes. They are often the bane of my existence and you can find me tugging on my clothes constantly. It's a problem...🙈
   
7. I hate when people spell "Mama" as "Momma". Maybe it's where I grew up? I have no idea. But I cringe every time I see it. (Don't worry though- one of my best friends spells it that way and I still love her 😝)
   
8. I start listening to Christmas music in September (sometimes August), and I'm not embarrassed about that at all 😉
   
9. I HATE dramatic T.V. shows. Pretty Little Liars (actually almost any ABC Family original), Gossip Girls, The Bachelor- all of them make me nuts.
   
10. When I watch a crime show and get freaked out, I turn on Phineas and Ferb to make myself feel better.

My Birthday Playlist (if you don't like boy bands and cheesy lyrics, this is not for you 😉)

How to Find and Use Your Spiritual Gifts for the Glory of God

Spiritual gifts are given to us by God to prepare us for the life God has for us. We are each gifted differently, and God will continue to help us in our gifts as we grow in Him. How do you find your spiritual gifts and use them well? Learn how to find and use your spiritual gifts for the glory of God. 

Blogging Authentically: My Heart

Authenticity. Have you ever noticed how the word gets thrown around these days?

Authenticity is supposed to mean that we are genuine, integrity-filled, and truly ourselves. It's supposed to mean that we handle our day-to-day with honesty and sincerity. But lately, authenticity has become nothing more than a buzz-word. This is really true in every circle, but by-golly if it isn't rampant in the blog world!

I love blogging. I don't think that will be changing any time soon. But I have been growing weary over the past few months as I have discovered how fake the blog world really is.

I had seen little pieces here and there for a while, but since this past Spring, it has become increasingly obvious that many bloggers care only about numbers. And even if they say they don't, they do. You know how I know? Because I hear very little about how people are benefiting from blogs. Bloggers are typically not boasting about how proud they are that their blog made a difference in someone's life. Instead, they brag about how many followers they have on Instagram, or they complain about Instagram followers and how many times a post has been shared on Pinterest.

And believe me- I get it. It's so hard to have to fight algorithms, the follow/unfollow method, and the massive sea of bloggers trying to make it just like we are. But friends, if our blogs are not making a genuine difference, is there really any point? And if all of our likes on our IG posts are from people in threads who are required to interact with us- people who never even look at what they are double-tapping on- what's the point? Is it just about "making it"? And what does "making it" even mean at that point?

Wait for the Real Deal

I'm not perfect. Holy mole', I'm not even close! I make mistakes, I do stupid things, and sometimes I am not nearly as authentic as I really should be. We all fall short. But I would like to encourage any of you who blog for a greater purpose than just yourself-than just money- be filled with integrity. Choose the slow, honest path over the quick, inauthentic one. Grow slower if you must, but grow with integrity, and with followers who actually care about your content.

It may seem tiresome to wait for real Instagram likes, blog comments, and Twitter followers, but I'm beginning to believe that the real ones are worth the wait.

Blogging Groups

Now, I'm not saying that bloggers shouldn't participate in Facebook threads to promote content. I will still be participating in my favorite groups and I don't think there's anything wrong with that. But, if half of your Instagram likes, or Facebook page likes, or blog comments come from people who only engaged with you because they had to, then I would seriously encourage you to reconsider your methods if you want to be authentic and genuine.

It's a hard balance to find when your blog is both your ministry and your career goal. I totally get it, and it's a daily struggle. But the blog industry needs to change, and it starts with us- with the ones who are willing to be genuine.

Important Disclaimer!

Please note that this is not an attack on anyone. I have all ideas that several people I know will think this is directed at them, but I am only speaking generally. If something has hit hard in this post, maybe it's time to examine your methods, but please know that I am not writing this post about someone in particular, as I struggle in some of these areas too. We are all in this together and we all need to learn and grow as we go through this journey.

October Love, Goals, + Updates

Happy October, sweet friends! I'm really baffled that October is already here, but I am also thrilled. It's my all-time favorite month and I definitely think it should be celebrated! Like, maybe there's no school, no work, and no responsibilities all month. We'll all just spend October huddled around a bonfire with pumpkin coffee and apple bread. Because that's realistic, right? 😋

I could spend the rest of the month just posting about why I love October. And other than the fact that it would get pretty old for you, I would.
But since that's not going to work, I decided to do an October goals post, September updates, and some things I am loving for October- all wrapped up into one. You're welcome 😉

September Update

September has been a strange month for me. Very strange. I finished up a nanny job that I was contracted on through the Summer. I got a VA job that I worked for two weeks, but turned out not to be the best fit. I gained another client that has been an awesome fit.
Then, my hip and back injury (which left me bedridden for 5 days last year) acted up again and still hasn't settled down. It's not as bad as the last time that I had problems, but I have been doing a whole lot of laying in bed with a heating pad the past few weeks. I'm really hoping that the steroid shot I'll be getting next week will do the trick!

And to end September, we spent last weekend of the month in the mountains with our family, friends, and our church family. We were celebrating our home church's 10 year anniversary.

I really didn't have that many goals listed for September, and I met 3 out of 4 of them. Taylor and I actually did much better at adulting (i.e. being responsible people who clean, cook, and go to bed at a decent hour 😂), I was able to see baby E three times, and I finished Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire. Woot woot!

However, I did not get ahead on my blogging goals, because of the hip flare-up, which causes a lot of pain that gets worse when I try to sit down for long periods of time. I'm trying to find creative, practical ways to still get things done this month to make up for last month.

October Goals

Get Ahead On the Blog

I am desperately wanting to get ahead on my blog posts, VA work, and social media scheduling. For October, I'm just going to try to get at least three blog posts ahead and to revamp two posts with new images.

Workout Four Times Per Week

A while back, my grandparents let us borrow their stationary bike that has some pre-made workouts built in. We finally started using it recently and I think it's going to be a really good workout without murdering my hip. My goal is to do four workouts on the bike per week.

Focus On What Matters

Guys, I am so bad about focusing on the wrong things when it comes to my goals. I spend so much time participating in threads and worrying about numbers, that I neglect the most important parts of blogging: namely, crafting blog posts and newsletters.

It's really easy to get priorities turned upside in anything we set our hands to, so I'm sure it's not just me who struggles with that. But this month, I want to focus on getting it right. It's hard, and I cringe when I have to choose between growing my social media numbers and creating new content, but it's clear to me what matters most.

October Love

Apple Pumpkin Bread

I know I mentioned this apple pumpkin bread in my roundup post, but my sweet friend Gracie came to Charlotte and made this recipe again and it was even better than I remembered. Seriously, you need this bread in your life!

Blue Bloods

I love Blue Bloods, and season 8 just premiered a few days ago. The first episode of the season was heart-breaking, but I am so excited that it's back on. I might be a smidge addicted!

Birthdays

October is birthday month for me, for Taylor, and for several of my awesome friends. Unfortunately, October and these birthdays always seem to come and go before I have a chance to blink, but I still enjoy it thoroughly. I have no idea what I am doing for my birthday, but I think Taylor's parents are coming down for his. It'll be awesome.

Pumpkin Patches

Last year, going to a pumpkin patch was one of the highlights of my Fall. I went twice with baby E and it was so fun! This year, I am hoping that Taylor and I can go together.


What fun things are you looking forward to during the month of October? Did you do anything noteworthy in September? Comment below!