Author Archives: Becky Pliego

About Becky Pliego

I am grateful because God, in His grace, called me out of darkness and into his admirable light. When I did not look for Him, He found me. When I was in a pit of sin, He rescued me. I am not walking this road alone, my family is always with me, and we love Him, because He loved us first.

Finding Delight in God’s Word – We Don’t Lose Heart-

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This week during my Bible reading I read 2 Corinthians, and I was greatly encouraged to see that Paul used twice in this epistle the phrase, “we do not lose heart”.

“But when one turns to the Lord, the veil is removed. Now the Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom. And we all, with unveiled face, beholding the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from one degree of glory to another. For this comes from the Lord who is the Spirit.

Therefore, having this ministry by the mercy of God, we do not lose heart.”

2 Corinthians 3: 16- 4:1 ESV

In this first instance, we are reminded that we do not lose heart because it has pleased the Lord to set us free and to remove the veil from our eyes so that we see his glory. We do not lose heart because we know we are being transformed into the same image of Jesus. We do not lose heart because we know that our God is a merciful God.

In that, my friends,  I find great delight!

The second time Paul uses this phrase is here:

 

“Since we have the same spirit of faith according to what has been written, “I believed, and so I spoke,” we also believe, and so we also speak, knowing that he who raised the Lord Jesus will raise us also with Jesus and bring us with you into his presence. For it is all for your sake, so that as grace extends to more and more people it may increase thanksgiving, to the glory of God.

So we do not lose heart. Though our outer self is wasting away, our inner self is being renewed day by day. For this light momentary affliction is preparing for us an eternal weight of glory beyond all comparison, as we look not to the things that are seen but to the things that are unseen. For the things that are seen are transient, but the things that are unseen are eternal.”

2 Corinthians 4: 13-18 ESV

Here we are reminded that we do not lose heart because we have an unshakable hope: we know that we will be resurrected and will be with Jesus in Heaven. We do not lose heart because we are grounded in the Word and live with our eyes fixed on the eternal things.

This is a truth that makes my heart sing.

Delighting in Him with you today,

Becky

 

Memorize by Heart, Live by It -An Invitation to Memorize Titus-

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Elizabeth Hankins and I met when we memorized Philippians together with Tim Brister’s group: P2R last year. After that big project, we journey together through the book of James, and let me tell you that the time we spent in those books, meditating on them daily for several weeks was life changing. I must admit, just to encourage you,  that even though I was able, by God’s grace,  to persevere and finish both books,  I attempted to recite both of them to my sister this past Holiday and I couldn’t do it without hesitating! From this I learned two lessons:

1. It doesn’t matter. The time I spent digging the books, studying them, mediating on them was a time well spent. The Word of the Lord doesn’t return void. Never.

2. I need to review more and more what I have already memorized because I really want to be able to recite those books fluently next time I see my sister.

Elizabeth and I are now ready to start a new memory project this year: the book of Titus, and we would love it if you decide to join us.

We think we should be able to memorize Titus by paragraphs (5-7 verses), however, there are a couple of paragraphs that will probably need to be divided into two sections. We are thinking that we can do it in nine weeks, which would have us finishing up around Easter Sunday.

The general schedule (that Elizabeth put together for us) is this:

Week 1 ~ Titus 1:1-4
Week 2 ~ Titus 1:5-9
Week 3 ~ Titus 1:10-16
Week 4 ~ Titus 2: 1-6
Week 5 ~ Titus 2:7-10 (A short “grace” week for those who need to play catch up.)
Week 6 ~ Titus 2:11-15
Week 7 ~ Titus 3:1-7
Week 8 ~ Titus 3:8-11
Week 9 ~ Titus 3:12-15

We will start on the Lord’s Day, February 5, and God willing we’ll finish on Easter Sunday, April 8. Sometime soon we’ll be sharing a PDF for you to carry in your purse, car, pocket, etc. or maybe you want to cut it and paste it on a Moleskine.

If you want to join us I would really recommend you to get a good Bible commentary on Titus and a journal. Each week copy the weekly verses and jot down your notes from the commentary you are studying. This is one of my favorite parts of these memory projects.

You may want to check these resources:

 

From the archives of this blog: How to Memorize the Scriptures 
This photo shows my copy book (where I also jotted down the notes from the commentary I used), my journible and memory Moleskine that I used when memorizing Philippians.

 

I will be using this commentary through the project:
(Ligonier carries the paperback edition)

 

If you rather listen or read to some sermons consider these:

John Piper has a few sermons on Titus.
John MacArthur’s sermons are found here.
C.H. Spurgeon’s sermons are available here.

Have a most blessed day, my friends!

Oh wait!  I almost forgot to tell you about these beautiful -and free- printables that Melissa has made for you!

Becky

 

Songs That Make Me Close My Eyes When I Listen

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My friend Kim wrote a few days ago a post with this title and I just loved it, don’t you? So I asked her if she would let me use it at least once a month to share here some of the songs that make me close my eyes when I listen… she said yes, and I am happy to do it today.

 

 

 

 

Ligonier

 

 

 

Which songs make you close your eyes?

Becky

Read All the Books in the Bible – A Little Bit of Encouragement-

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Have you chosen a Bible plan to follow this year? I am very, very happy with my reading plan because it allows me to have all the flexibility I love, and at the same time it helps me not to leave out books like Amos or Numbers. Sisters, no matter which Bible Reading plan you follow, I encourage you to put every effort to read all the Bible this year (or most of it!), not only the Psalms.

Today I am sharing the way I have learned to read those “difficult” books over at Desiring Virtue. Would you come over?

Becky

Have you read about my journey into the vast Ocean of Words and entered your name for the giveaway of the book Wordsmithy by Douglas Wilson?

Desiring Virtue

For the Love of Words; Sailing into the Vast Ocean of Words -and a Giveaway-

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Isn’t it just amazing how God created everything with the power of His Word? It just blows my mind. And it amazes me how God gave us the gift of language, a way to communicate one to another, words to create, to give life (not in the sense like He does, of course), to bless -or curse-. And not only that but He, in His mercy, gave us a wonderful brain that can learn new languages. That, my friends, is pretty awesome!

So, I have decided to take advantage of this God-given gift and learn more about how to use English words -and sentences, and paragraphs, and commas, and all that- better. Yes, and you will be benefited too, I hope, as you find my writing getting clearer and cleaner 🙂

English is my second language, (I am sure you already knew -or by this time figured- that out. ) but sometimes I just doubt if I am really fluent. Specially when reading Chesterton. So, my friends, here I am, ready to sail into the vast Ocean of Words; and of course, I will be taking you with me, I am sure the adventure will be fun and profitable. I will be posting in this place quotes, rules, new words, and things like that; if you don’t want to come along, it’s OK, I will love you still.

The first book that stirred my soul into this adventure is one that I dare to say will be one of my favorite books in 2012: Wordsmithy: Hot Tips for the Writing Life by Douglas Wilson. The book is excellent; full of practical advice, encouragement and great quotes to keep in a commonplace notebook (so that you won’t forget, and use later).

See more about this book here.

A few of my favorite quotes are these:

“Pay attention to all the words you use every day -especially the words that are coming out of your mouth.” (p.22)

“If you want to say a lot, you need to have a lot to say” (p.24)

“Writing is a form of teaching, even when it is not being didactic in some formal kind of way. And the most contagious form of teaching is when an instructor loves his material in the presence of others -whom he also loves.” (p.26)

“Love what you observe, love what you write, and love those who read it.” (p.27)

“Wanting to write without reading is like wanting to grind flour without gathering wheat, like wanting to make boards without logging, and like wanting to have a Mississippi Delta without any tributaries somewhere in Minnesota. Output requires intake, and literary output requires literary intake.” (p.30)

“Read like someone who can afford to forget most of what you read. It does not matter because you are still going to be shaped by it.” (p.37)

“Set a lifetime pattern of reading books” (p.42)

“Read boring books on writing mechanics” (p.50)

“Dictionaries are books. Why can’t we read them?” (p.53)

“We {Christians} are people of the Word, and therefore we are people of words. Because we are people of words, we may, later on, be people of essays, poems, blog posts, screenplays, and novels.” (p.78)

“Love what you observe, love what you write, and love those who read it.” (p.79)

“God blesses giving, so every use of language, down to the lowliest tweet, ought to be thought as a gift to others. But when we give, we do not run out of what we are giving. If we are giving language that is thought through, language that is edifying, that is calculated to bless the other, then what on earth makes us think that God would let us run out?” (p.84)

“Your commonplace book is just a staging area. You are collecting things in order use them, to get them into your mind and heart and thence your writing.” (p.115)

“The world of actual language use is so complex and so messy that only God understands the English language. Only God is fluent.”

This book is so good, and I am so excited about this journey that I just can’t keep all this goodness for myself, after all, as one wise fellow said, “Writing is not solo work”. If you love words and sentences, and commonplace books, and want to sail with me into the vast Ocean of Words, then leave a comment here and I will enter your name in the giveaway of one copy of this book. (Feel free to share the news with your friends). I will announce the winner, God willing,  Tuesday, January 24.

Becky

Remember How God has Filled Your Empty Baskets -and Give Thanks-

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©Shiloh Photography

 

“Jesus said to them, “Watch and beware of the leaven of the Pharisees and Sadducees.” And they began discussing it among themselves, saying, “We brought no bread.” But Jesus, aware of this, said, “O you of little faith, why are you discussing among yourselves the fact that you have no bread?Do you not yet perceive? Do you not remember the five loaves for the five thousand, and how many baskets you gathered? Or the seven loaves for the four thousand, and how many baskets you gathered?” Matthew 16:8-10 (Go to Matthew 15: 32-39, to read the second time Jesus multiplies the bread and fish to feed a hungry crowd)

C.H. Spurgeon says about this passage:

“Our Lord as as says to them, ‘Why begin raising questions as to what can be done under this small difficulty? Have I not your own personal wants been richly supplied? Has your store been exhausted even when all your thoughts have gone out towards the multitude, and all your store of bread and fish has been given up to them? What occasion can there be for anxiety in my presence, when I have always supplied your wants?

How foolish they were, but how like we are to them! We seem to learn nothing. After years of experience, our Lord has to say, ‘Do you not yet understand, neither remember?’ … How are our minds dwells on the bread which we are wanting, and how readily it forgets former times when all such wants were abundantly supplied! The many baskets which so amply filled by former providences were the disciples’ own share and store, and therefore they ought not to have forgotten the miraculous festivals. Even the empty baskets should have refreshed their memories, and reminded them of how they had  twice been filled. If it were not for our wretched little faith, and our reasoning among ourselves, the memory of our former deliverances would lift us up beyond all tendency mistrust our God.”

I do not want to forget how my Heavenly Father has filled my empty baskets in the past (and no, I am not necessarily talking about physical provision only) on the contrary, I want to remember and give thanks. And as I remember,  as I read the pages of my gratitude journal, I clearly see how my faith is strengthen and renewed. He has always been faithful, no matter where I have been.

Today I remember and give thanks…

#1465- 1474

How He had mercy on me while I was lost seeking my own glory and not His.

I remember the day when our oldest son was very young and had a high fever seizure, and couldn’t come to his senses for several minutes. The doctors feared some brain damage. Our son has none. God delivered us that day, and I still remember and give thanks when I see him doing so well in College.

I remember how God had mercy on my mom and healed her from a terminable cancer when I was a young girl. My children can enjoy today her embrace and her wonderful food.

I remember how God brought my husband and I together. I still love to wake up by his side every morning.

I remember how God has been so good to us in giving us four children.  Each one of them is a miracle.

I remember today how my sister and I,  in our teen years, had nothing in common, nothing; and I am so grateful to see how much we share now in common. That is a gift from God, and I am grateful.

I remember when my basket was full of discontentment; I am grateful to see how the Lord has filled it, little by little with contentment.

I remember how many times people have said that in this life you can hardly friends, but as I look around I see how God has blessed us with so many friends in Christ. We are blessed indeed!

I remember how I battled to have a disciplined spiritual life. Today by God’s grace alone, He has helped me to seek Him early and abide in His Word.

I remember how difficult it was to lose her, but I also remember how the Lord gave us words to sustain us, hope not to faint, and prayers from friends that embraced us. I need to remember this over and over again.

As I remember I am drawn to give thanks to God for filling my baskets with His Providence so many times!

What do you remember today that makes you give thanks?

Becky