Did you know God uses USPS?

Sometimes God shows Himself to His people in the little things, the things we easily tend to pass off as mere coincidence. Yesterday I had such an experience.

A few weeks ago I blogged about a neat idea I read for making Christ the center of your Christmas. In Noel Piper's book Treasuring God in Our Traditions she suggested putting nativity sets from all of your global travels around your house at Christmastime as a reminder that one day every tongue, tribe and nation will bow before the Lord. I loved the idea, and decided Michael and I would start doing that. Since we traveled to Peru together in 2006 I thought I would make this new tradition retroactive by looking online to find an authentic Peruvian nativity set.

I found several from which to choose from, but we had a major water leak that resulted in all things Christmas being put on hold while an entire wall had to be ripped out and replaced in one of our upstairs bedrooms (thankfully it was under warranty). Once that was complete, Michael and I boarded a plane for Dallas for his company awards ceremonies and the Peruvian nativity search was long forgotten. In fact, I hadn't thought much about it since. Until the day after Christmas when I lamented in my journal about yet another year in which I didn't do all I initially wanted to in order to celebrate Christ at Christmas.

Then yesterday an unexpected box showed up on my door. Inside was a note from Compassion International thanking Michael and me for our faithful support, and as a token of their thanks Compassion had mailed us our very own handcrafted nativity set from Peru--the very nation we wanted to start our international nativity collection with! (We found the fact that it was from Peru to be extremely odd since both the child and college student we sponsor live in Africa).

Now, I don't know if every Compassion sponsor received a Peruvian nativity or not, but even if they did it doesn't diminish the significance of this small nativity set for me. To me, the fact that God saw fit to mail me a Peruvian nativity set that I didn't buy, from someone who had no idea I had been wanting one, stands as a firm reminder to me that God always makes sure we have the tools we need with which to give Him glory.

He knew my heart's desire was to make Him the center of not only my life, but of the way my family celebrates Christmas every year. One way I wanted to do that was by displaying international nativities--and He provided me with the very nativity I needed to start this new tradition. So now I don't just have a tradition, I have a cool story for how it was started. More glory for God!

So, let my Peruvian nativity be a reminder to you that no object is too small for God to use in order to prove Himself faithful to you time and time again. He is a big God, but we should celebrate Him in the little things too...

Celebrating Michael

Two and a half years ago Michael left the only professional life he had ever known (full-time ministry) and took a position in sales. A lot of people told him he was nuts. A career with a 100% commission based income isn't an ideal life. It isn't a way to serve the Lord. But Michael strongly believed God was calling us out of the church we were at and into a new life in a different place, and this career would provide that for us. His heart for ministry hadn't changed (and still hasn't) but his way of pursuing ministry looked different.

This past week, he and I spent three days in Dallas, Texas at an awards ceremony where he was recognized as the number 28 salesperson in a company that boasts over 3,500. He received six awards to honor his achievements. And he and I sat together in awe as we celebrated God and all He has done in our lives in the past two and a half years.

When you have a commission based income you learn lessons in faith that the guy with the salary doesn't have to learn. You come to a place where you are taught to praise God in famines and in feasts. And when your bottom line is bigger than you could have ever dreamed it would be, you learn to give away a large portion of what you have because you are fully aware that what you have was given to you--and it was given for a reason.

Michael's company operates under a principle that they refer to as H.O.P.E. It stands for Helping Other People Everyday. He's independently contracted with two organizations that form an alliance to provide affordable health insurance and other benefits for self-employed people and others who don't receive benefit packages from their employers. For a lot of people, what Michael does is a saving grace. Just a few months ago Michael was able to offer health coverage to a previously uninsured man just weeks before the man was in an accident that caused him to incur several hundreds of thousands of dollars in medical expenses. His wife called from the ER to thank Michael. His job makes a life or death difference for a lot of people.

Other clients have been diagnosed with cancer or other illnesses after he was able to offer them policies, and because he did that they were able to receive treatment that wouldn't have been available to them otherwise. Many of Michael's clients are Christians since he runs an advertisement on a local Christian radio station. Occasionally he sits down with pastors who are planting new churches and listens to their stories with excitement and enthusiasm, and then he puts them on a health insurance plan that helps them take care of their families during a time of transition. Several clients pray over him as he leaves their homes.

But a majority of Michael's career takes place in the secular world. And his success has elevated him to a position of influence in his company that allows him an open stage on which he is able to live out his life and his faith before a group of people who are looking for the key to his success. Michael never backs away from attributing his success to God.

We don't believe in a wealth and prosperity gospel. But we do believe that every good and perfect gift comes from above (James 1:17), and we believe that Michael's ability to provide for our family is a gift from God. Other benefits of his career include the fact that his schedule is flexible enough for him to travel with me to speaking engagements, we are able to make our church life a priority and that he will be able to pursue one of his dreams and put himself through college.

Michael's hard work also allows us to give freely to God's work globally and locally, and it is has taught us to pursue a debt free lifestyle. In our book Life. Now. we offer several tips and nuggets of wisdom that we have picked up along the way for how to use a secular career as a pulpit for God's glory and for how to live comfortably within your means at any income level. I won't get into all of that here.

But everyone needs a public cheerleader. And today's blog is all about me making a public statement of how honored I am to be Michael's wife, and of how proud I am of all of his accomplishments both in work and in life. May God be glorified in Michael's success today and everyday.

The Biggest Loser: I'm Addicted

Michael and I don't watch much TV, especially when it isn't baseball season. But our absolute favorite show is The Biggest Loser. Tonight is the season finale and one of the original eighteen I was pulling for has made it to the finale: Julie. I was deeply moved by Julie's tears on the first night of the season when she honestly shared that she hasn't been to her husband's company Christmas party in something like ten years because he keeps their wedding picture on his desk, and back then she was skinny. Through sobs she explained she didn't want to embarrass her husband by showing up fat. She also explained that a doctor told her she was unable to have a second child unless she lost weight.

People who have never struggled with their weight can't quite relate to someone like Julie. "Just workout and get over it," they might say. Or some might suggest, "Just get over it. You have a husband who loves you."

But I trek with Julie. I get her struggle. Weight-loss and maintenance is a fight for me. When I'm diligent I count calories and workout consistently. When I'm bad I try to ignore the inner chiding telling me I should be doing those things. And my reasons for wanting to be thin have only a little to do with vanity. When I was in college my mom was diagnosed with Type 2 diabetes, and I was told that if I don't keep weight off (especially near my waist) I will most certainly be diagnosed with the same disease.


My mom is the most diligent diabetic I know. She sticks to her strict diet and she consistently works out. Now, she's thinner than I am. But she can't reverse the diagnosis she's received. So for her--and for me too--I'm working hard to make sure I stop the disease from continuing through our family history.

One of the things I love about watching The Biggest Loser is that many of the contestants are there for the right reasons. As the season has progressed many of them have lost more than fifty pounds (some have lost more than 100). And with each pound they lose they become healthier. On one episode a doctor explained to several contestants that they had literally added years to their lives and quality to those years.

So, tonight Michael and I will tune in. And I'll root for Julie and Michael will root for Bill (who will probably win). And in the beginning of January we'll put our new 24 Hour Fitness memberships from Costco to use so 2008 can be a year where we actually treat our bodies like the temples that they are and get fit!

Christian History Comes to Life

This weekend, Michael and I had time to do something we rarely have time to do: relax. Sunday night we grabbed some blankets and Starbucks and settled onto our couch to watch one of our favorite movies of all time. Three years ago, we received Luther as a Christmas gift and loved it so much that we have given it as a gift several times since.

Two hours of riveting film brings Martin Luther--one of the fathers of church history--to life. Although this movie is a fictional work based on a factual account of the life of Martin Luther the accuracy of this movie is astounding. Littered with several documented quotes from the real Luther, the dialogue in this movie is so engrossing you will find yourself wanting to take notes (Michael and I tend to be nerdy like this and actually took notes during this film. Don't judge us unless you've seen it).

Although the basics of Luther's story have been known to me for some time (and I saw this movie prior to last night's viewing) the magnitude of how this man truly lived his life was lost on me until now. Martin Luther's utmost concern was that an accurate gospel be preached to the people and that the common man would be able to obtain the Bible in his own language so that he could see for himself the way of salvation (Jesus Christ alone and not purchasing indulgences from the Roman Catholic Church).

Joseph Fiennes, who plays Luther in this film, brings the struggles Luther must have wrestled with to life in an unforgettable way. The film opens with Luther's conversion along a rainy and muddy road and follows him through monasteries, seminaries and what is now known as the Protestant Reformation. Facing heavy opposition--and possible death--at the hands of Rome, Luther sought to write and publish the truth for his people.

Today we know him as a hero of the Christian faith. But in his day, he was known as a radical, a fanatic, a challenger of the "truth." A phenomenal orator and writer, Luther struggled with depression and feelings of inadequacy as he single handedly sought to free the people from the seemingly merciless God that was preached and proclaimed in his day. He wanted to clarify that salvation could not be bought or earned.

I count this movie to be among the most inspiring films I have ever seen, and I highly recommend it to any Christian looking to be challenged and provoked into an active faith rather than a passive one. Luther's ultimate quest was that the gospel be portrayed accurately in his day. Should our aim be any less? The truth is abhorred and silenced today as much as it was in Luther's. God is still looking for radical Christians--or rather regular Christians ready to fully claim a radical God.

Often--and especially at Christmas--we tend to focus on the tenderness of God. After all, He sent Christ as a baby. And who can resist a baby? But He also sent Christ to the cross in a radical move that would alter eternity. It was gruesome. It was bloody. It was extreme. Our intensity for Him should not pale in comparison to His intensity for us.

This Christmas season, I encourage you to watch Luther and set out to give your life as a gift to Christ without reservation.

"Unless I am convinced by Scripture and by plain reason and not by Popes and councils who have so often contradicted themselves, my conscience is captive to the word of God. To go against conscience is neither right nor safe. I cannot and I will not recant. Here I stand. I can do no other. God help me."

--Martin Luther (direct quote used in the movie)

Need a Christmas gift for a woman in your life?

If you are anything like me, there are some people in your life (namely women) who are hard to shop for. They seem to have everything. Or maybe it's you who seems to have everything and someone has come to you lately asking, "What would you like for Christmas?" And you didn't have an answer. For me, one answer is always books. But sometimes I tend to ask for so many books that I don't get around to reading them all right away. Lately I've read through a few books for the very first time that I received as gifts--some as recently as a few Christmases ago, one as long as ten years ago! All three books served to encourage my spirit and point me toward Christ, so I thought I would write a brief summary of all three in case you are looking for any gift ideas this Christmas...Happy Shopping!

A Chance to Die: The Life and Legacy of Amy Carmichael by Elisabeth Elliot

Prior to reading this book, I knew very little about Amy Carmichael's story except that she was a missionary in India for most of her life. For all 382 pages of her story I remained captivated by this woman whose faith was amazing. The book opens with a snapshot of Amy's childhood in Ireland and closes with her death in India giving you a very accurate picture of her entire life.

I especially like the way the progression of Amy's ministry was outlined. You see her first working with teen girls in Ireland, then you watch her answer God's call to the mission field by sailing for Japan only to be hindered by health conditions and be sent to China instead, before finally landing in the place that would eventually be her home: India. In all of these places Amy was met by the opposition of critics (sometimes fellow Christians, other times not), she encountered health ailments and financial setbacks and although her life was not free from pain she openly reiterated that every moment was surely worth it if it meant kingdom gain.

The faith exemplified by Amy Carmichael was profoundly encouraging to me, as I saw that many of the problems she faced in her lifetime (she's been dead for almost 57 years now) were not that different than mine. All of us have people problems, and all of us have sin problems. And Amy stands as a firm example of how to work at overcoming both. She stands as a hallmark of someone who aspired to live a life of holiness for the glory of God. I highly recommend this book to any Christian looking to grow and be challenged in his or her faith.

Treasuring God in Our Traditions by Noel Piper

My husband is a huge fan of expository preacher John Piper, so the year we got married (2005) I asked for this book written by John Piper's wife on making God the center of our family traditions and only now have I gotten around to reading it. I initially set out to read this book in hopes that I could find a practical way to make Christ the center of our Christmas this year and every year that follows. What I gleaned from this book was a lot more than that.

Although Mrs. Piper does offer many great ideas for creating Christ-centered holiday traditions, she goes well beyond that. A big portion of the book is dedicated to keeping Christ the center of our everyday "traditions." The primary audience of this book is obviously moms with young children, but I got a lot of of it even though I am not yet a mom and Mrs. Piper even addresses singles at one point in the book. I appreciated the importance she placed on teaching young children to have a high view of God by showing them how to begin daily disciplines like Bible reading, prayer and Scripture memory even while they are young.

And I loved her suggestions for Christmas traditions such as giving your children extra chores around Christmas so they can earn money for a "birthday gift for Jesus" (to be given to a needy family or charity, etc...), displaying nativity sets from global travels as a reminder that one day every tongue, tribe and nation will bow before the Lord and many more. She also offers a very sound and insightful explanation as to why incorporating both Santa Claus and Jesus Christ into your holiday traditions can be confusing and hinder the formation of a young child's faith and theology. This book caused me to spend a lot of time evaluating my daily and holiday traditions and find areas that need work and improvement before I have children to model them for. This book would be a great gift for a new mom, a new bride or anyone with children.

Let Me Be a Woman by Elisabeth Elliot

I received an autographed copy of this book from a friend of my mom's when I was fifteen. Although I have always been a huge Elliot fan, it sat on my shelf for ten years before I remembered I had it. But the timing of reading it was perfect for me. This book differs from many of Elliot's other works in that it was never intended to be a book at all. Instead, it was a series of letters on marriage and womanhood that she wrote to her daughter, Valerie, in the months leading up to Valerie's wedding.

With the poise only Elliot possesses she deals frankly with topics such as submission, women and careers (as a career woman herself she has lots of keen insights on this topic) and realistic expectations within marriage. Speaking from the perspectives of both a happily married woman, and a widow who lost not one but two great loves in her life, Elliot has a commanding presence as she writes on such topics. More than once during the reading of this book, I stopped and evaluated the way I speak to my husband, how much needless information I bombard him with at the end of his busy day, and the way I tend to accept or reject certain aspects of my role as a wife and a woman. I think I am going to begin giving this book as an engagement gift to every bride to be that I know, and I plan to mention it to my small group as well. This book would make a great gift for any newly married (or engaged) woman or any woman who is just looking to grow as a godly wife.

Now it's your turn...what books will you be giving or hoping to receive this Chirstmas?

The Woman as the Heart of Her Home

Michael and I have been married for 821 days today. (That's two years and three months in case you were trying to count). And although those haven't been the easiest 821 days of my life, they have truly been the best. All of the trials we weathered together--the death of a grandfather, a mother's battle with cancer, a major job transition and a two year journey to finding the right church for us, just to name a few--have greatly shaped us as a couple and they have drawn us not only closer to each other but also to God Himself.

I have always been a very driven person--I received my bachelor's degree at the age of 21, and started my dream career at the age of 20. There is constantly a goal before me, and I feel a great sense of accomplishment every time I accomplish something new. But right now, during this time when I am taking on fewer writing assignments (be they articles or books), my attention has definitely been turned from my career goals to my role within my family. What does a godly wife look like? Are there ways she can shape the traditions and atmosphere of her home before she has children or are those responsibilities that come exclusively with motherhood?

Of his wife, Noel, well-known preacher John Piper once wrote: "I love to read my wife's writing. It's just like her: velvet steel. Yes, there's a woman's touch. She is one. But there's also an edge because she believes in solid Truth...Our marriage has also been the birthplace of ideas, Or better: the birthplace of vision--seeing God as all sovereign and all-satisfying. Woven into our family life is the conviction that God is most glorified in us when we are most satisfied in him. His glory and our joy are not at odds. In this matrix [marriage] the vision matured; then it shaped everything..." (From the Foreword of Treasuring God in Our Traditions).

Velvet steel. What great imagery! I love that. I, too, long to always have the softness of a woman's touch but the firmness that comes from living my life planted firmly on the solid Truth of Jesus Christ. More than anything else in life, I want my faith in Christ to be the legacy that I leave behind. That's more important than any other goal I could set for myself.

Today I was reading my friend Chiara's blog, and she posed a very good question about how we honor Christ in our Christmas traditions. I wanted to have an answer to her question very badly, but as I sat and thought about it I couldn't come up with anything other than setting out my Nativity set each Christmas and reading the true Christmas story each year.

How can I say Christ reigns in my life if He doesn't even reign in my Christmas? This year, I'm setting out to change that. Thanks to godly women like Chiara and Noel Piper I'm setting out to create some very real and tangible ways in which Christ can be illuminated in the way Michael and I celebrate Christmas.

Of the excellent wife, Proverbs 31: 26-27 says: "She opens her mouth with wisdom, and on her tongue is the law of kindness. She watches over the ways of her household, and does not eat the bread of idleness."

The household is my domain. It's an area God has divinely placed under the woman's authority. That means as I decorate my home for Christmas, and think through the gifts we will give to those on our list or ways we will give to needs of others who are less fortunate, I am creating habits and patterns that the Primicerio family will probably follow for years to come. That's not a small task. It's a huge thing--and it's part of my calling as a woman.

This Christmas--and from day 822 and on in my marriage--I hope I can be counted as a woman who makes Christ big in my home and also in my life.