Scriptural Reasons for Having a Hope Chest

This is Part 4 of the Hope Chest Series. If you missed the Hope Chest Series Introduction, or Part 1: “What’s in my Hope Chest?” ; Part 2: “What am I adding to my Hope Chest?”  or Part 3: “What Does Having a Hope Chest Mean $$-Wise?” you can find them here, here, here, and here.

"Whatever you do, do it heartily, as to the Lord and not to men." Colossians 3:23

 There’s No Commandment:

Of course, if you are any at all familiar with the Bible, you know that there’s no commandment declaring, “Thou shalt have a hope chest!”

Yet, if you look at the different Biblical principles for young women, having a hope chest is a reasonable, fun, and awesome project to make these principles REAL in our lives!

Having Hope for the Future:

As discussed in our Hope Series Introduction, having a hope chest is not about how many items you can accumulate over time, but about the hope of a future, a good God-based future.The Lord desires that we follow His plan, for He has the plans of hope and a future.

Jeremiah 29:11 says, “‘For I know the plans I have for you,’ declares the LORD, ‘plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.'” (NIV)

Having Patience:

James 5:8 tells us to “Be ye also patient; stablish your hearts: for the coming of the Lord draweth nigh.” (KJV)

When creating a hope chest, patience is definitely required, whether you are waiting patiently for the day you may open your hope chest for use or are patiently creating (or buying) your items! As you practice this patience, your heart will become established in this project. You will learn to apply your patience and devotion to not just waiting for the future, but for the coming of the Lord! He is our groomsmen (even if you were planning on never marrying, as I was), and we must patiently wait, with our heart established in Him!

Being a Proverbs 31 Woman:

Whether or not you marry, you have to admit, this Proverbs 31 woman is kind of, like…yea, perfect! And I am sure that allll Christian women everyone desire to be as godly and well-rounded as she, (and sometimes are, and sometimes are not).

If you notice her adeptness in skill! She “works with eager hands,” verse 13 says in the NIV Bible.  And The Message says of her, “First thing in the morning, she dresses for work, rolls up her sleeves, eager to get started.” She knits, sews, cooks, gardens, and “skilled in the crafts of home and hearth.” Seriously–she has so much talent and skill! Not to mention she loves the Lord.

Having a hope chest prepares us with the same skills. As we make our own quilts and pillows, lay aside recipes of delightful tastes, include devotionals and Bibles and memories to pass on to the next generation, we gradually become this Proverbs 31 woman in our own unique way. How very special!

In Your Youth, Be An Example:

Finally, while we are young, we can be a shining light for the Lord! And what a great way to share the love of Christ than by having a hope chest. All the items are set aside in love, in patience, in hope, and in the faith in Christ for His plans of a future, which can be passed down and passed down and passed down.

(Either to your own children or, if you choose not to marry and/or have children, to other’s children.)

1 Timothy 4:12 says “Let no man despise thy youth; but be thou an example of the believers in word, in conversation, in charity, in spirit, in faith, in purity.”

Of course:

There are many other Scriptural reasons why having a Hope Chest is such a delightful idea/project, but the above are all I am sharing–for now.

Do you have a reason in addition to these? Leave a comment if you like! I would love to hear it.

This concludes our 4-Part Hope Chest Series! Again, if you missed the other articles, their links are provided above. And if you enjoyed this series, I am very glad!

The Hope Chest Series Introduction

I would like to introduce a 4-part series on Hope Chests, (and if you don’t know what those are, just keep reading), concentrating on how a hope chest is a great way to live naturally, frugally, and wholly in Christ.

You can look forward to:

Part 1 (Whole Living): “What’s in my Hope Chest?”–a look into my personal Hope Chest, in all its grandeur, (or rather, lack thereof, unfortunately :\).

Part 2 (Natural Living): “What am I adding to my Hope Chest?”–because once you read part 1, you’ll understand that I need to do some serious “building up.”

Part 3 (Frugal Living): “What does Having a Hope Chest mean $$-wise?“–looking at the fiscal benefits of having a hope chest.

Part 4 (In Christ/A Devotion): “Scriptural Reasons for Having a Hope Chest“–biblical references that make having a hope chest a reasonable, fun, and awesome idea.

What is a Hope Chest?

Traditionally, a hope chest is a large to medium size wooden box that a young, unmarried lady would fill up with items for her intended wedding and married home and life.

Items might include a wedding dress and shoes, pillows, blankets, pictures...all put in the hope chest in anticipation of one day being married.

Hope chests today, however, are given much more freedom to be used for whatever best fits you and the lifestyle you hope to lead in the future. For example, some young women decide that they do not want to marry, so they do not use their hope chests for wedding items. Simply put, a hope chest is a chest of items dedicated to the hope of having a future, no matter what that future may be.

A Hope Chest is for preparation, but now more than ever, hope chests can hold sentimental items, such as family Christmas ornaments and such. Some people put books in their hope chest. Some people put baby clothes. It’s your choice of the contents to be placed in it; there are NO limits or restrictions! I’ll give you a peak into my Hope Chest in Part 1 of our Hope Chest series.

**I would like to stress here that the IDEA of the hope chest is more important than actually having a wooden chest. Preparing for the future can be done, even without a box to put the contents in.**

A modern Hope Chest may look similar to this, but styles can vary.

At the same time, hope chests are not STRICTLY for the day you become married or for the day you live on your own. Some women use their contents on a regular basis, while other women prefer to accumulate and save the items for its  intended purpose only.

Are Hope Chests Just for Girls?

Once again, the TRADITIONAL answer is “Yes.” According to this article, a groom’s family provided land, property, or money in order to “win” a woman’s hand in marriage. The bride’s family then gave a dowry of the things the couple would need to begin life together, including linens, china, and other household items.

Today, however, some parents provide their sons with “hope chests” (that they don’t call hope chests) for them to put the items they would like to keep and that are special to them, as well as items that may prove useful to them in the future. Some creative parents are even using a locker for their males, instead of a wooden chest.

Final Thoughts:

If you decide to start a Hope Chest, (and I certainly hope you do by the end of this series), remember– a hope chest is about having hope more than anything else, more than the contents in the hope chest, more than the actual process of gaining the contents. More than anything, a hope chest is about HOPE.

I enjoyed reading this letter from Glenys Robyn Hicks to “handmaidens” concerning her hope chest:

…my mother and father provided a hope chest for me. We weren’t very well off, but they acquired an old writing bureau which they kept in their bedroom for me as my own room was too small. This hope chest was filled gradually with all the usual things to ensure a well stocked home with crocks and linens.

But I found this was not its primary purpose for me. It became my focus and purpose in life- reminding me of the task ahead of becoming mistress of my own home. Each time I added something to it, it filled my soul with longing for the day of marriage and hope for the future. As I worked and saved for my wedding and new home, it became my anchor. Every kitchen article was added with dreams of me cooking delicious meals for my beloved. Each towel I folded filled me with visions of them flapping on the line and I would plan how to wash them properly and keep them soft and fluffy. Fluffy enough to wrap up my new baby after its bath. For every sheet and blanket focused me on the physical side of  marriage filling my heart with the promise of children conceived in love. As I added to my picnic ware, my mind would race imagining flying kites, feeding the ducks by the pond and country drives with my husband and children ..life held great promise for me in that hope chest…and although mine was not a true hope chest- it was full of hope.

I certainly wish you  to join me on this series! Please feel free to comment and discuss, as much as you like! 🙂

Book Review: Modesty by Nan M. Pamer

Modesty: A fresh look at a biblical principle by Nan M. Pamer

Just today, I completed Pamer’s 47-page 1997 booklet on modesty. Although Pamer singles out the Apostolic Pentecostal, or Oneness Pentecostal, church as one that has held its ground and not conformed to the low moral standards of the world, she does a fine job of explaining why modesty is such an important–non legalistic– biblical principle that Christians should adhere to today. The chapters include:

1. “Is Modesty Legalistic?“– a look at why modesty is NOT legalistic. Legalism, as Pamer explains it, is the belief that “works merit salvation,” ie dress standards. Pamer defends the Apostolic Pentecostal churches with conviction, stating that modesty is misunderstood and can be a deterrent to immorality. She says, “We were hopelessly lost when Jesus Christ found us and saved us from sin, and we are forever indebted to Him. Because we love Him we endeavor to reflect Christ in everything we do, even in our outward appearance.”

2. “The Blessing of Distinction“–delving into why modesty, and the separation from the world that comes with it, is a blessing. Pamer claims that “the society that allows this deterioration of modesty takes something very precious from its young people.” Modesty and immorality are directly related, as “when modesty was  thrown to the wind, immorality swept in like a flood.”

3. “An Old and New Testament Principle“–explaining that as Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today, and forever (Hebrews 13:8), so is His desire for us to live a Christ-like life. Modesty is part of living Christ-like, according to Pamer, and can be found in both the Old and New Testament. Pamer gives the example of the Old Testament priests who were set apart by their apparel and connects this to 1 Peter 2:9, where the church is called “a royal priesthood…” (among other examples and connections). Pamer also addresses and warns against “the danger of overemphasis” where one “practices an outward dedication to God while allowing his heart to become a bulwark of nasty attitudes and hard feelings against others.”

4. “The End Results of Immodesty“–an examination of our world, as it is, and why immodesty has lead to immorality as an accepted societal institution. Pamer states that “When a society disregards modesty, it will have to pay a revolting price. Our generation is reaping devastating results because a principle of God has been laid down.” Using the testimonial confessions of serial killers Ted Bundy and Arthur Gary Bishop, Pamer explains the negative effects of immodesty: pornography, rapings, terrible diseases, and to the extremities of mass murders.

5. “A Call to Modesty“–a plea to live a life free in Christ, one that is modest and a reflection of Him. Pamer concludes her booklet with these words: “May we vigorously regain the ground that many have lost in the battle for modesty. Our children, our churches, and our nation need it desperately. We have a treasure in our grasp; let us never let it slip away.”

My Concluding Thoughts:

I definitely and highly recommend this book to parents, Christian youth workers, and teenagers. Whether you are part of the Apostlic/Oneness Pentecostal church or not, modesty is a biblical principle that, as Pamer states, has been thrown to the wayside and forgotten by most of the world. How you determine what is modest or not, or what you determine is modest, is not discussed in this booklet; however, Pamer’s discussion on modesty as a principle is very informative, intellectual, and GOOD! Her reliance on scripture as support is a major addition, versus some books that base Christian principles on human reasoning. Although at times, Modesty could be repetitive, its message is one that should be repeated. I will be keeping this book to reread and to share with others.

If you would like to buy Modesty: a fresh look at a biblical principle by Nan M Pamer, you can buy it used at Amazon.com. Click here!

If you would like to look at the other books I have on my book list for 2011, you can click here!

AND/OR

If you would like to comment on this book or book review, if you have any questions, please feel free to share in the comments section below!

The Lost Can Be Found

The Princess opened the sliding door, which concealed the spiraling tunnel. Giving into her curiosity and wonder at the untraveled passage, the naive and innocent Princess stepped through the threshold and into the tunnel. After traveling for some time, she noticed the inner parts of her shoes becoming wet. Then her ankles, then her shins, and then her knees. The tunnel was dark; it had led her astray from the door by which she entered, so that she could no longer find her way back. With no other solution, she continued forward in the direction of her initial journey.

The water continued to rise: mid-thigh, hip, chest, neck. As her panic level began to increase, she realized the passage opened up into a waterway. Catching her breath, she dove in–hoping for the best.

Immediately, the Princess noticed the coldness and heaviness of the water. Surely she must be in the deepest of the depths of a great body of water. With great effort of strength, she swam upward, upward, upward. Her arms and her legs burned, but not more so than her eyes, which she found she could not keep open for any great length of time. When her eyes were open, she could not see hardly anything, for the waters were dark and murky. Her air was running out, but she glimpsed a dim light ahead, so she pressed forward to the mark before her.

Conveniently, as she drew closer and closer to the light, a rope seemed to be lowered to her, and eagerly, the Princess reached for the rope and pulled with all her might. All she could acknowledge was the fear that she would not reach the top before her last breath was gone, and so she pulled even more and even harder.

At last, she broke through the water–only to find herself among an oil spilled sea. The darkness, the murkiness, the heaviness as she swam, it was oil! Looking about her, she saw only dark oil plastering the water. Her skin felt not wet, as it would from a recreational swim, but slimy. The fear and panic began to gradually increase within her being again.

A medium size boat, from which the rope came, floated just to her right, and she anxiously swam in its direction. She reached the ladder, and climbed up it, only to find the boat deserted with no one on it. The Princess went to the control center, and started up the boat–and when she did, the boat exploded and parts of it were strewn across the expanse of oily water!

The force of the explosion sent the now horror-stricken Princess back into the water, along with many other pieces, large and small, of the boat. Without knowledge of what else to do, the Princess grabbed hold of the largest piece of “boat” nearest her, climbed on top, and began paddling her way to the shore.

She did not know where she was. She did not know what to do. Lost and confused. Fearful and hopeless. Despairing and regretting that she opened that door paddled she on–on and on and on. Toward the shore, toward her prospective redemption.

But it was so far away, even after her continual paddling. She would never reach it. She would never be found. She would never know what she had gotten herself into. So the Princess laid down across the boat piece, closed her eyes, and prepared to die.

Meanwhile, back on shore, the explosion was heard and the boat in flames was seen. People came running from all places to the beach to see the great disaster. With a shout, one individual said he found someone! A team of five people came to his destination. Sure enough, they saw the Princess, lying across her boat piece with her eyes closed, but knew she was dead. As the boat piece floated nearer to them, they prepared to rescue its passenger, though perhaps it was too late.

The Princess heard the shout, and she heard the talking back and forth between multiple voices. Hallucinations, surely. She thought. But when she felt the jolt of their arms catching her piece of boat, her eyes swiftly opened and beheld her Redeemer, the one who had found her.

A tear slowly trickled down her cheek, as she looked upon him, and she gratefully smiled at the 5 helpers. Her Redeemer lifted her up, and took her to safety. She was not lost! The Princess was not lost!

She had faced the murky waters and fire. She had withstood great fear and panic and terror. She had been lost and confused, but NOW she was found and safe. She had been found. Praise the Lord! She had been found.

_______________________________

In this parable:

The Princess–as daughters of God, the King of Kings, we are Princesses!

The Tunnel–we all choose the paths we will travel, whether they are ones that have been walked before us by the prophets and apostles of old or ones that are foreign to us and are dark.

Murky Waters and Fire–in life, sometimes we go through trials that can leave us with fear, panic, doubt, and despair.

One Redeemer–Jesus Christ is our Redeemer, the One who finds us when we are lost, the One who lifts us up when we are down.

5 Helpers–God uses people to be instrumental in bringing others to Him.

Hello World!

 That’s what I said when I stepped onto my front porch!

Wow! What a beautiful world God has created. And it’s been here the WHOLE time? Why am I just now seeing it, as though I never had before?

I could feel the sunshine soaking through my skin. I could see the bright yellow dandelions, which look like smiley faces all across the expanse of green, green grass. I could smell the pleasant pine aroma of our tall pine trees. All of this beauty surrounding me.

I picked up a wishing flower, once a cheerful, wild dandelion flower, took a deep breath…and blew!

What did I wish for? **I can’t tell you, otherwise, it might not come true…**

Just know that from that step onto the front porch, from that delicious sensory “overload,” and from that wish– Zealous Dedication resulted.

Please join me, or simply read along, and be encouraged and inspired, as I take a journey to a more natural, frugal, and whole life in Christ.

So… “hello world!” I am ready to embrace you–just as God intended you to be.