Diatomaceous Earth for your garden

As my husband and I expand our garden this year, we realize that critters abound who are set on destroying all of our hard work.  Many folks recommended a natural insect killer called food grade diatomaceous earth, or food grade DE.  Thus far, we have seen great results in keeping the destructive critters away.  I am not good at explaining how DE works, but I want to send you to a DE LINK that I know you will find helpful and extremely informative!  The gentleman 'in the know' is named Paul Wheaton, and I'm thankful for his expertise!

The Bait of Satan - by John Bevere

I'm still reading the FABULOUS book by John Bevere called The Bait of Satan.  This is my second reading and I'm being challenged again, and encouraged at the same time.

In a nutshell, the bait is offense.  From the garden, where the serpent planted the seed of offense in both Adam and Eve's hearts...offense toward God, who appeared to be 'holding out' on them...much of what we deal with in life, including sin (see post below this one) is based in offense.  I will not go into book detail here; you will have to read it yourself.

I'm saddened by people who take up offenses.  I've been saddened when I myself have taken up offenses.  Yet even more frightening to me is when people are looking for offense.  Someone will read something or hear something and look for any hint of some sort of connection to something so that they can pick up an offense.  Sad, sad, sad.

Yesterday, I had a conversation with a precious friend about this topic, and he said, "It's just sad because where is the ability to express an opinion or even express the truth?"

I"m laughing because I have to ask myself this:  "Am I offended when someone takes up an offense over something I say or write that was not intended to offend?"

Finally, I'm reminded of one who took up NO offenses, but many CHOSE to take up offenses in response to things He spoke:  Jesus.  Everything He said was life-giving, even when He brought 'correction'.   Oh that I could speak the truth in love and not be moved if people are offended by what I say.  I do know this, I need to grow in the area of speaking in love.  The deepest desire of my heart is to bring LIFE, to speak the life and hope freedom that can only be found in the LIFE-GIVER Himself:  Jesus!

Old verse, new levels of understanding

I was on a walk with my sweetie yesterday when we passed by a church's sign on which was written an age-old verse in a bit more modern-day language:

"Sin is paid by death..."

The more traditional version is:  "For the wages of sin is death."

I meditated for a minute or two on this newer translation, allowing it to sink in deeply.  Death itself pays us when we sin continually and repeatedly.  So, I began to contemplate what that 'death' really looks like because there certainly is a lot of sin in the world around us (and we too are sinners), but we don't see 'literal' death happening every time someone is engaged in sin.  So, I've concluded the following about what this "death" looks like as a result of sin:

Death in relationships and life to conflicts of every kind.

Death in motivation to move forward in life and life to lethargy, passivity and general malaise.

Death in perspectives on life and situations and life to moroseness and directionlessness.

Death in vitality and life to laziness.

Death in selflessness and life to self-centeredness.

Death in Spirit-filled living and life to living out of our soulish nature.

Death in life-giving thoughts and life to stinkin' thinkin'!

NOTHING good results from sin....nothing.  The devil truly is a liar, but we have bought into his lies and given ourselves over to that which ushers in death, and in doing so, instead of being carriers of life, we are carriers of death.

Sorry this is such a heavy blog post....but the reality is that many people seem to think they can engage in sin and be "ok" because they are not seeing 'death' in the traditional way resulting.  In fact, they believe they are gaining life, but it's a completely false reality.

I will end with the second half of that verse:

"But the GIFT OF GOD is ETERNAL LIFE in Christ Jesus!"

God Himself has given us a way OUT of sin and it's a GIFT to be received, which brings nothing but LIFE!  That gift is Jesus, the eternal one, living, moving and breathing inside of us when we choose, by grace, to walk in Him!

How do you deal with pain?

We live in a fallen world.   This is a sad but true reality.  Yes, there is redemption, always hope and even when wronged, we can choose to forgive.  Forgiveness doesn't change the reality of the fallen-ness, it simply sets the forgiver free.

I've been having to do a lot of forgiving recently, and I've had to ask for forgiveness.  Something that strikes me as continually challenging in Christian cultures is the way that people talk about forgiveness and the way they walk  it out.  Myself included.

I wish I understood even 1/100th of God's heart toward people...then I would really walk in the freedom that forgiveness brings.  

There's an old addage which remains true:  hurt people hurt people...or even better put:  hurting people hurt people.  Even if we don't want to, we hurt people simply by virtue of being a living person on planet earth.  The key is how we deal with that hurt.

Do we turn our backs?  Do we say "it doesn't matter".  Do we dismiss those people who have hurt us or those we love and as my good friend used to say:  FIDO:  Flush It and Drive On.  I believe in FIDO in some cases, but when you do it out of hurt rather than out of health, it is emerging out of deep-pain.

So, how do we deal with pain?  There is one who endured the most brutal pain anyone could ever imagine...betrayal, beating, mockery, false accusation, and death on a cross.  His response:  "Father, forgive them for they know not what they do."

Do we speak this over our situations and over those in our lives who have caused us pain?  More importantly, do we speak this over ourselves when WE have caused others pain?  The greatest truth in all of this is this:  Our God is the God who is the promise-keeper, and He has kept and will keep every promise He has ever made!  He knows every heartache, every wrong word spoken, every dream dashed, every brokenness in every person's heart, and His promise is to make ALL THINGS NEW!  


Tapping in to the grace and mercy of God in the midst of pain is one of the most wonderful adventures we have been afforded as believers in Yeshua!  Only God can do the God-things in our lives, and as we let Him, He will transform us into His likeness, from glory to glory, that His glory will be manifest on the earth in and through us!  

Learning curves as we grow

I am learning that I still have much to learn, especially about loving friends.  You would think that as a life-long communicator and teacher of communications of many sorts that I would be an expert by now.  However, I realize that I am not, and even more-so, that I have a long way to go when it comes to how I communicate so that what I say is not misinterpreted.   


I love learning curves that bring me closer to the Father's heart for others.  

My two cents worth...for what it's worth

Status updates and posts have been popping up all over social media in the wake of President Obama's announcement that he supports gay marriage.  I thought about posting a thoughtful status update on Facebook but then considered how my perspective might be misconstrued in light of the topic.  And so, while I am going to post this blog entry on Facebook, I am giving more than just a short, pointed thought, and I would welcome and love to have thoughtful, intelligent, respectful, loving discussion with anyone willing to engage in such exchange.

So, had I posted a Facebook status update, it might have read something like this: 

"I support the biblical view of God, the biblical view of God's love for humanity, the biblical view of the brokenness of all of humanity (including my own brokenness), the biblical solution to that brokenness, the biblical view of love, and the biblical view of marriage."

Now, I am keenly aware that, given the recent announcements by both the President and Vice-President of the U.S., my perspective will appear to be out of the supposed 'mainstream' of U.S. society on that last point.  Possibly, but really, my views on all the points above quite often don't jive with 'mainstream U.S. society'.  My views do express Truth, though, as I am reminded every day of my own brokenness and the brokenness of those around me.  I work and live with broken people because I work and live on planet earth, and because I look at myself in the mirror every day.  And that is why the message of the Gospel is such good news to me and every person on this wonderful planet because it is grace, mercy, love and healing for every broken part of every person.  

Let's face it folks, whether our brokenness is alcohol addiction, a propensity toward gossip, unfaithfulness to our heterosexual spouse, addition to pornography, same sex attraction, violent and physical displays of anger, involvement in human trafficking of any kind, cheating on our taxes, or just plain unloving words spoken toward another because of our own insecurities, we're all broken and in need of redemption.  

Thankfully, the biblical view of redemption includes healing for all of the above and much more.  The two statements I cling to often when faced with dilemmas such as our nation and our world are facing today are these:  

"Today, you will be with me in paradise."

and

"Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do."

Both of these were spoken by a broken man on a cross who had every right to respond in the opposite spirit, but chose the HOPE-FILLED perspective of His Papa.  The first statement is utter grace extended to a man who, in the world's eyes, 'deserved' what he was getting - death on a cross.  This man knew his own brokenness and in his own words, cried out for mercy and grace and received it.  His ways were not the ways of the Kingdom and he knew it; deep down, he knew it, and reached out to the only One who could extend mercy:  The Son of the King Himself.  I love that man's words:

"Remember me..."

Take that first word apart:  RE-MEMBER...put me together again...I'm broken...lost...have chosen my way over and above the ways of Your Kingdom, and it has led me here...please re-member me...put me back to my true identity, the way I was intended to be.

And it was the man Jesus, the Son of God, the gracious, merciful, loving, kind, gentle, powerful, righteous One, who looked out over broken humanity and made a bold proclamation:  

"Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do."

It wasn't just about their actions in that moment; this statement, I believe, was a prophetic declaration from the place of forgiveness, the cross, for every person there that day and every person to come.  

The key is seeing the two statements together.  Forgiveness is available as is healing, but we must bring our brokenness to the only One who can heal our broken hearts, and thus our broken lives.  Then and only then can we walk in true identity, true freedom, true wholeness because only then are we one with the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit, the authors of life. 

So, as I put my hand in the hand of the only One who can RE-MEMBER me, I extend my hand to all who recognize their own brokenness; I have one thing to offer:  love, and the longing to have them walk into the loving, healing arms of Papa, whose embrace brings life, healing, true identity, and love immeasurable!

All the blessings of friends

This sounds super cliche, but the older I get, the more I realize that the most important things in life are the people God has blessed us with in our lives.  Some of those amazing people have read one or both of the books I've written (so far), and here's what they have to say about  Walking Forward - Discoveries in Freedom and Forgiveness and The Senders:


“Arden is passionate in all she does. She has a heart for missionaries and those who support them. "The Senders" specifically recognizes and applauds this behind the scenes group of people that make it possible for missionaries to do what God has called them to do. She also has a longing to see the broken healed. Her first book "Walking Forward" is a helpful tool for those individuals to begin that process of healing. She is a blessing to us all.”

Arden is a detailed, yet concise writer who displays the importance of the Body of Christ coming together as a whole to not only be sent but also to send in her book titled, "The Senders." She captivates the readers eye through her personal experiences and her desire to include various perspectives of those who have sent out missionaries. I highly recommend Arden's book titled, "The Senders". I believe this is the beginning of a new wave of missions on the rise that will cause the Church to rise to another level of involvement of God's redemptive plan for all mankind to know HIM and make HIM known.”

Arden is a remarkable woman who has labored as a teacher in the U.S. and Europe, and has tremendous insight into the application of gospel principles to modern living. Her book The Senders reflects a side of modern missions rarely studied - the sacrificial and committed support that is required to send a missionary abroad, and a look at the people who provide that support - their motivations, their character, and their hopes for making the world a better place.”


“I am writing on behalf of Arden Czaszewicz to highly endorse her character, her work and her two books, "Walking Forward-Discoveries in Freedom and Forgiveness" and "The Senders". Sincerely, Mary Kay Ohaneson-Laughton”


“I came to know Arden on a trip to Kansas City. As two professionals passionate about education, we hit it off immediately. I have read her books and feel they are valuable to Christian audiences. I highly recommend both books.”


“Arden is a brilliant author. When she teaches you a lesson you remember it when the conversation is through. She's a person after God's own heart and the anointing the she has on her life will have an impact on your own.”

“Arden is a gifted writer and storyteller. Her two books are a gem for those who want to grow in their faith. I have enjoyed reading them both and look forward to her next effort. She is an inspiration and has much to teach all of us!”

If, after reading these comments, you are curious to know more or get your own copies from the author, e-mail me at tmhunarden@gmail.com

To God be the glory!