Dear friend,

 

When you receive this newsletter, I'll be in Lansing, Michigan speaking at INCH, the Michigan state homeschool conference. It's an event dear to my heart since I've been speaking or attending there, every few years or so, for almost 15 years. As I was writing up my sessions, one particular talk (integrating theology into your homeschool) reminded me of an important truth I wrote in Every Woman a Theologian:

 

 

Working in the theological field, mainly as someone who connects people with resources above my “pay grade” (scholarly works), I read a lot of intellectual content. At this moment there is a large stack of commentaries blocking the use of my office desk. These books and resources are immensely helpful, not just for me, but for all Christians going deeper in their understanding of the Bible.

 

However… theology is about God. And when our theology has no room for intimacy with Christ, or our intimacy takes a back seat to the intellectual pursuits, we're in grave spiritual danger.

 

We've all met the person who lives this way. They are smart. They are reasoned. They are wise. They can argue you over a cliff and lay down an argument like a lawyer. They know the Bible inside and out. But if you were to name someone who really exemplified the love of Christ… would they be the one you'd choose?

 

Usually not. And that's what happens when theology takes precedent over intimacy.

So how do we avoid this kind of hollow “faith”? How do we prioritize BOTH intimacy and theology? Too often, Christians pursue one over the other. They like comfort and encouragement, so they emphasize devotional works and speakers who soothe their souls rather than challenge them. Others like exhortation and a “hard word”, so they pursue apologetics and systematic theology, loving the challenge but unwilling to sit with the hard questions of the soul.

 

We need both. Intimacy without theology is rootless. It looks deep, but it's actually wide and shallow and produces no fruit. Theology without intimacy is like a hollow tree: it looks tall and robust, but it falls over when suffering comes. We need both.

 

Personally, the best way I've pursued this tension is by keeping a devotional routine in the morning and reading theology at other times of day. I like to study the Word, especially Psalms, pray, write out prayers and hymns, sing, and worship in the morning. Sometimes I break this routine up in busy seasons, like the one I'm in now. Lately I've been listening on audio and listening to a lot of worship music, praying and memorizing Scripture in the shower! Theology, however, in the form of textbooks and systematics, rarely makes it into my morning routine. I read it at night or during afternoons. I read articles and news stories when I'm prepping for work projects. Certainly I meet God when reading a commentary! I have learned so much this way. But I am shaped the most in my intimate time with God, where the theology I consume becomes real and personal.

Theology for the sake of theology, theology for the sake of authority, theology for the sake of intellect – these will always fail you. But theology housed in an intimate relationship with the God who made you? This theology grows deep and tall. It is rooted in a personal relationship with a personal God. And it grows tall, a witness to the world, able to withstand the greatest storms.

 

If you tend to emphasize devotional books, I challenge you to read more theology (Every Woman a Theologian is a nice, accessible intro - I wrote it with that intent!). If you tend to emphasize theology, enjoy apologetics to the neglect of prayer - I challenge you to take a break and simply spend time in Psalms and prayer. If it's hard for you, it means you need it more. 

 

Theology without intimacy is a hollow thing. But theology with intimacy is a powerful thing. The kind of thing that changes the world. 

 

Glass Stanley Cup: My friend Katie gave this to me and it is soooo pretty! It holds 46 ounces and has a wood top with stainless steel straw. 

 

These shearling Birkenstocks: You know I love Birks and wear them constantly in spring, summer and fall. These are like walking on clouds. Perfect for chilly mornings! (S/O to our friends Spencer and Jozzy for these)

 

This adorable Frog and Toad sweatshirt: The Frog and Toad books are some of my favorites for my kids and I think their friendship is hilarious. My friend Hali gave me this and I'm obsessed.

 

Frankenstein by Mary Shelley: Josh bought this for me since he knows I'm loving classics lately! I read it in high school but am due for a re-read. He also gave me a collection of Edgar Allen Poe to keep with the theme.

 

Coming soon… He is Faithful Crossbody bag: You saw glimpses of this on my Instagram over the weekend during our company photoshoot! Coming to our shop at the end of May!

The Sex Talk You Never Had: This book is about finding freedom from fantasy, pornography, and resetting your view of sex from a duty, or darkness, to God's glorious light! The very first book I wrote, I rejoice to see it still impacting women for the gospel and its freedom. (teen version coming in the fall)

 

Reframing Pregnancy and Birth: After I talked about this on IG stories this week, this became one of our bestsellers. I talked about how we have unrealistic expectations for pregnancy and birth, and how these ideals keep us from enjoying motherhood. 

 

Prayers for Parents: These cards are perfect if you're a parent who isn't sure how to pray over your kids. You can simply pull a card and pray the Scripture based prayer!

 

Sibling Relationship Cards: These cards are used daily in our home. They have a verse, short prompt, and activity for kids to practice loving their siblings well. Age 2-10 (scale through discussion).

 

Revelation Study Verse by Verse: Our Revelation verse by verse study walks you through the book of Revelation verse by verse with minimal commentary from me. You'll learn about the different views of end times/Revelation and go to the book itself to find a peaceful, confident stance.

 

Kid's Theology Handbook: This little booklet contains short answers to common kids' questions about God, the Spirit, Jesus, the cross, sin, salvation, Satan and more.

 

Teach Me to Pray Cards: These little cards contain short scripts for kids to use as they learn how to pray out loud. Pick one each night!

 

Motherhood Culture Quick Theology: Why do the mommy wars exist? How do we understand the conflict of identity many of us experience when becoming moms? This booklet addresses those questions!

 

Raising Tiny Disciples: Our OG book on creating routines to disciple well, manage your home, and give your kids a framework for parenting toward Christ.