From the beginning of Raising Maidens of Virtue, Stacy McDonald sets the tone; the anticipation level rises in expectation to be encouraged for women both young and old in raising the bar in godliness and purity. I always enjoy reading Stacy McDonald’s material and Raising Maidens of Virtue met my expectations. I expected a lot and I got it!

What I appreciate about Stacy the most is that she is a straight shooter with a clear message of grace and truth. She has an eloquent and articulate voice for women seeking godliness, while tactfully, and lovingly, causing each of us to examine ourselves in such areas as selfishness, root sin issues, and more.

Stacy respectfully recognizes the structure of authority and begins teaching and exhorting each of us far beyond the “appearance of godliness.” She causes the reader to reach deeper to the foundation, reminding us that, “A woman with an unchaste heart will remain an unchaste woman regardless of what she wears until God convicts her of her sin, she repents, and the transforming work of Jesus creates in her a clean heart.”

This study, Raising Maidens of Virtue, gives a beautiful example of a balanced view of modesty and chastity, which is a refreshing, and yet, world-shattering message that, in itself, could revolutionize our homes and our local fellowships from the inside out. A mother could go through this study with her daughter today, and the message would be just as pertinent and timely in the future when the same woman goes through the study with her daughters-in-laws and granddaughters.

With gracefulness, older women are given the groundwork, the blueprints, to teach younger women. In fact, I would recommend any woman, whether single, widowed, with young daughters, or older daughters to read this study so that they may be equipped, as with a tool, along with their Bibles, to teach and encourage younger women, and disciple maidens of virtue, rather than waiting until problems arise and then trying to head off wrong worldly thinking when it is almost too late.

Stacy McDonald’s Raising Maidens Virtue contains foundational concepts. The earlier you can inculcate these truths into your daughters, the better.

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Raising Maidens of Virtue…. Updated!

I passed by them and continued to get the item I needed, turned around and headed back, following them to the checkout where, in fact, the little girl had the item.

Another example: A family member had her daughter in the shopping cart seat. She decided to stand up and do a little tap dance. She fell out of the cart, sustaining a concussion.

We are out in town, maybe the grocery store. A child talks back, throws a fit, wanders away, won’t listen and/or just makes a big scene. What is a mama to do?

When my children were small and in the major training stage, I would VERY CALMLY tell them to stop whatever they were doing. If they continued as I shopped, I peacefully and calmly took the children home…leaving my cart behind and dealt with them as needed.

We don’t want the child to consider that their actions are okay when we are not at home.

When my first 3 were small, it seemed like I disciplined all day long. I hated it, especially since my hsuband was on the road a lot. I am so thankful for cell phones! My husband would encourage me to remember the goals we had to raise up a heritage. He’d remind me that we were not, and still are not, doing a “one day at a time” thing, but rather, we do everything with a purpose with clear boundaries, nothing is arbitrary. And that training isn’t only the rod, but it is teaching the children about the Lord Jesus Christ as we rise up and when we sit down… and that we are a reflection of just a little of what He might look like, too! (frontals on your forehead). He reminded me that we were treading into new territory since our parents didn’t follow God’s Word.

Proverbs 13:24
He who spares his rod hates his son, but he who loves him disciplines him diligently.

Do you see it? Diligently… to be up early with earnestness is the literal translation of diligently. Wow! God’s Word encourages us when the times get tough!

What an inspiration to have others in the body of Christ, to go to and encourage you to keep on keep’n on. I know it was a great help to me and many continue to be an encouragement to me.

Now that those particular kiddos are 22, 20, 19, respectively, and we’ve gone on to have many more, the fruit of those long, long days, has shown that it was oh so worth the time, the diligence, the patience, the love, the prayer, the teaching… everything. The younger ones watch the older kids’ example. There is so much peace in our household!

Last story: I was in another major grocery store chain last week. I noted that on several aisles, there were abandoned carts.

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Empty Carts Or Empty Promises?

You may recall we do not charge, nor do we ask for donations. Our music style is eclectic and we enjoy can accommodate any type of audience. We also have our own set, which includes originals not on our cd that we hope to put in our next one, Lord willing.

Soooooo, if you are up to seeing me and my family, and think your fellowship or group or party might enjoy having us, please send me an email on my brand new, fancy schmancy contact page. We have promotional material for you, as well. You can hear us here.

It would great to meet up with some of you!

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Invite ElectricChurch To Your Event/Group

In all that we do in obedience to Him, we glorify Him, whether that’s being a helpmeet to our husbands, or raising our children [to God's glory]. Satan, of course, would want us to not glorify our Lord. He will do all he can to get in the way…knock us down. Let me share a story. I have said it many times before…and do not recall where I heard it many moons ago, but it has been heard on my lips many many times:

Fact, Faith, and feelings were walking on a fence. Feelings fell off and faith came soon after. BUT facts never change and are strong. So fact reached down and pulled faith back up and eventually feelings followed.

We don’t always FEEL like we love our husbands, but know that by fact, we have made a commitment. We don’t always FEEL like we want to spend 24/7 with our children, but by fact, we hang on, KNOWING that we have made a decision and God has directed us to home educate. We may not always want to hold our tongue, but because we know that the scripture that says, “In the same way, you wives, be submissive to your own husbands so that even if any of them are disobedient to the word, they may be won without a word by the behavior of their wives as they observe your chaste and respectful behavior” (1 Peter 3:1-7) so we work to strive to that level, learning self-control.

God has set up an order of authority. By following that structure, we are glorifying God.

That is what we were created for. It’s not an Earthly focus, but a Heavenly focus with Heavenly goals.

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Glorifying God Through Submission

Here are my notes to share with you today:

Pursuing the prize Phil. 3

The goal is to be like Christ Jesus. vs. 8. Everything else to be lost v. 13…one thing I do… forgetting the other things, I press on toward the goal

Life focus

Paul was pressing on towards the goal so deeply that he was becoming like Christ. Everything else in our life spins off of being like Christ. I will worship and serve like He wants me to … I will relate to people like He wants me to. That is why I must let the word dwell in me richly.

Dwell on glory to be changed into his image. Fully formed in me. If I abide in Him, I will walk the way He walked. Make that the goal of my life. It’s outside of me…not in me. It’s beyond me, only the Holy Spirit can do this work.

I am not preoccupied with myself. If I focus on Him He transforms me.

I do not exist for my own needs to be met, but to serve Christ. Not to have my desires met. I cannot be content when my longings or needs are met and never will be.

Wrong preoccupations: There is no goodness in my happiness. If I have a problem in my life, I have to fix it. Somehow I will never be fulfilled until all my perceived needs are met.

This is false. This is a focus on self. We now hear all the time that Jesus will meet your every need. He is not here to serve us.

The satisfaction of human need is not the goal of salvation. You need to be conformed to the likeness of Jesus. Sanctification is not that I am satisfied, but that HE is satisfied. See the man-centeredness instead of Christ?

It’s not assessing needs, but knowing Him, focusing on Him and communing in Him, I become more conformed. If I focus on me, I get distracted. The goal is not my own needs or greater significance. The goal is to be like Christ.

Those who are successful seek after goals. They do uncomfortable things and give of themselves to meet those goals. They are not consumed with their own comfort.

Spiritual goals…equally so. Little thought of their own human conditions. I consider it all lost…I only want the prize.

Totally focused

We all are called to pursue the goal to be conformed. The whole Christian life… pursuing Christ-likeness.

To do that…

vs. 17. what will help us?

1. Must follow after examples…godly leadership. Get some models and follow them! Discipleship. It’s not just speech…it’s living it. This is why leaders are called to be above reproach. They set the pattern to become more like Christ. If the pastor fails to be the pattern, he shouldn’t be the preacher. Paul says.. follow the proper example.

2. Flee enemies. For many walk for whom I told you. They are enemies. Follow my example and the people who live the way I live in pursuit of the prize. You follow us because so many others are the enemies of Christ. Watch out! Some to follow…many to be avoided. These people do not announce they are enemies. They are subtle. They are among us. It takes discernment. They say they identify with Christ. They say they believe in faith in Christ, etc. but they are enemies. Matthew 12, 24, all through acts… false, as against the true… false claiming in the name of God. Paul’s’ epistles…endless genealogies, false teachers, no false doctrines, avoid not true teachers…2 Peter. Jude is concerned about this, as well as John in his three epistles. We must beware of the enemies who masquerade as friends… He has to tell them they are enemies because they are very subtle.

Be discerning!!! If we have a lack of precise, clear doctrine and teaching, as we do today, you have a lack of clear thinking…then you cannot have discernment. People become victimized with those who are enemies with the cross of Christ.

v. 18…many walk (daily conduct) of whom I often told you. Know God’s Word.

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Goals And The Upward Calling