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A Writer’s Garden, Chris Paxson, Garden blog, Garden devotion, garden tips, No Half-Truths Allowed: Understanding the Full Gospel Message Bible Study book, Proverbs 9:10 Ministries
Welcome to A Writer’s Garden where writers who are gardeners or just love gardens will be sharing their garden and flower stories, as well as a bit about their writing. Today’s writer/gardener guest is Chris Paxson, one half of the co-founding team of Proverbs 9:10 Ministries. Chris will be sharing her 30 years of landscaping trials. Welcome, Chris!
Almost 30 years ago my husband and I built a house on a sloping piece of land in the fertile soils of southeastern Pennsylvania, USA. It’s a mostly wooded lot, with rocks, roots and vines that can make you want to call landscaping quits more than once! Still, thirty years and many more landscaped areas later, every spring makes us glad that we persevered and stuck to the challenge.
There are some things that a beginning gardener, like me 30 years ago, would be better off knowing. First and foremost (or the one I wish I had known) is that it’s best to buy many of the same plant, and plant them together for effect. Being void of that knowledge, I spent many years shopping at the local garden center buying a variety of four-inch potted plants and spreading them out. I’m still grappling with the problems from that mistake to this day. Some other things I’ve learned in the process are that only certain plants grow under the shade of walnut trees that are poisonous to most plants. If a plant tag says “sun/part shade” it does best in mostly sun. And I’ve learned that sometimes you have to sacrifice a plant that’s not doing well, rather than trying to save every sprig of anything that’s alive, if you want to keep your sanity!
Life as a Christian has some of the same attributes as the life of a gardener. It takes perseverance to learn about God through prayer and Bible study. There are some things it’s better off knowing from the start, like the fact that God is Sovereign over every single thing. Having that knowledge makes it easier to understand the Bible and helps in dealing with everyday life! During your walk you’ll encounter rocks and boulders of sin that you have to cooperate with the Holy Spirit to dig out of your life. You’ll encounter temptations like vines and roots that constantly threaten to trip you up. And, last but not least, it’s often better to narrow your focus. You’ll have things that you’d like to hold on to, but that only tend clutter up your life like sprigs of individual plants that are good, but in your garden only become eyesores. You need to let go of those.
Thirty years of trial and triumph makes you able to relax and enjoy the journey. So keep planting and watering. Try new things. Dig out the old and replant it somewhere else. if that doesn’t work, toss it, or hand it over to someone else. Narrow your focus to what’s most important. Most of all, love God and do everything for His glory alone. “So, whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God.” – 1 Corinthians 10:31
About the Authors:
Chris Paxson & Rose Spiller are co-founders of Proverbs 9:10 Ministries and co-hosts of the No Trash, Just Truth Podcast. They have been teaching Bible Studies for over 20 years and have written many of their own studies. Along with teaching together, they speak at conferences and retreats. Their second book, The Bible Blueprint – A Guide to Better Understanding the Bible from Genesis to Revelation, an overview of each of the 66 books of the Bible, is due out in this summer. They are in the process of writing their third book, Deciphering Revelation. Connect with Chris and Rose:
Links to Proverbs 9:10 Ministries & No Half Truths Allowed
Website: https://proverbs910ministries.com
Proverbs 9:10 Ministries on MeWe: https://mewe.com/p/proverbs910ministries
Instagram: proverbs910ministries
No Trash, Just Truth! Podcast https://www.buzzsprout.com/615385 can also be found on all major podcasting sites, Rumble, & YouTube
No Half-Truths Allowed – Understanding the Complete Gospel Message
by Christine Paxson and Rose Spiller
Authors Christine Paxson and Rose Spiller were frustrated at the fluff and heresy being pedaled as “Women’s Bible Studies.” Many studies are shallow and emotion-based, not grounded in the truth of Scripture, and they found this particularly true in regard to the Gospel Message. Because of a genuine concern for salvation and what was being witnessed, they wrote their Book and Bible study, No Half-Truths Allowed: Understanding the Full Gospel Message (Ambassador International, May 8, 2020, $15.99). When it comes to proclaiming the Gospel message, half-truths, vague notions, and generalizations can be dangerous. What are the important truths we need to know and share with others? Is it enough to believe that God loves us and wants a relationship with us? Is it enough to “ask Jesus into our hearts”? Is it enough to recite the “sinner’s prayer,” or do we need to repent of our sin? Is going to church and serving others enough? Is what Jesus suffered more than just a gruesome death on a cross? If Jesus, who is fully God, was crucified, did God die on Good Friday? Is God mad at us when we sin and happy when we’re behaving? Can we lose our salvation? If you’re not sure of the answers to any of these questions, join Christine Paxson and Rose Spiller as they explore the answers to these and many other questions.
A Writer’s Garden, Chris Paxson, garden tips, garden blog, Garden devotion, Proverbs 9:10 Ministries, No Half-Truths Allowed: Understanding the Full Gospel Message Bible Study book,
Catherine Castle 