Mallys and Bright Lights and Weddings

[JermajestyDuggar]

Grace was engaged to her now husband at one point a few years ago and it was abruptly broken off without explanation. Then a year or so later, it was back on. Harold wrote about Grace getting married as if she had died. It was awful. I’m waiting for Harold to write about his last child leaving the nest as if they were all dead and they are grieving the loss of their children daily.

[Sops2]

"What she was doing was so important that God was keeping the boys away"

" Rebecca and I wondered for years- 20 years if God was going to bring anyone into her life, it would have to be a miracle we thought...

"It felt like for Sarah the choice was narrower, the field was smaller, she wasn't 20 anymore....

Now that beats Steve's reversal speech by a mile

 

[Petronella]

I wonder—could the title be changed to mention the wedding? I’d love to see some more interaction on this and I suspect many people just don’t realise that there have been developments.

[clueliss]

I just hit report post so they know about your suggestion.  The staff doesn’t always see posts like this 

[nelliebelle1197]

On 5/2/2020 at 3:09 PM, JermajestyDuggar said:

Its so weird to watch a fundie wedding with literally no on in the audience. And Grace Mally Moffit is looking quite pregnant. No surprise there.

I still can't believe she is reproducing. Can you imagine what kind of monstrous mother she will be?

[JermajestyDuggar]

9 minutes ago, nelliebelle1197 said:

I still can't believe she is reproducing. Can you imagine what kind of monstrous mother she will be?

With her baby voice, no one will know it’s her or her toddler talking. 

[Petronella]

Thank you for the title change! Anyone just joining in, go back a few pages for the wedding recaps, and a TRULY MEMORABLE father of the bride speech.

[clueliss]

And we have the post wedding newsletter.  Also - per this Grace is due in August.  How many of the 4k were FJers?

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Dear Friends,

 

We trust you are doing well and being creative and bold as God gives you ministry opportunities in these unusual times. We need to pray for each other and for the lost world. 

 

 

Sarah and Andrew’s Wedding During COVID-19                 (by Harold Mally)   

We believe God timed Sarah’s wedding to be during a global virus. God’s ways are always better, but often they are puzzling to us. Then afterward we see His amazing handiwork. Of our two daughters, Sarah was the one who always had the bigger plans and dreams for a large wedding. This was not for herself, but because of the great value for ministry she saw in a wedding—especially to the young girls who observe and are impacted by the testimony of how God brought two people together. It seemed confusing why God would “take that from her” after all these years of waiting and desiring that ministry. 

 

How important it is to let the peace of God rule in our hearts. And how helpful and comforting. When we give up our goals for His goals, everything turns out better in the end. 

 

For example, even though Andrew and Sarah had invited over 1000 people to their wedding, they ended up with just two people in the audience. They could have postponed it, but as it turned out, God was able to expand the testimony that Sarah and Andrew wanted to communicate—a testimony of purity and of God’s purpose for marriage. With over 4,000 having viewed the wedding already, we now see that many more have been able to watch online than could have attended in person.

 

Actually, the virus challenged us to put greater effort, time and focus into the live stream that we otherwise might not have. And we had more time to do so. Also, all the changes caused us to put the various reception speeches online as links, which many have told us they appreciated.

 

Although Sarah and Andrew missed a traditional reception, the actual wedding day was much more relaxing than it would have been also, with more time to focus on close friends and family. Sarah and Andrew had a relaxed, afternoon photoshoot at the park with the wedding party; featuring a Chick-fil-A sack supper banquet. :-)

 

Sarah and Andrew wish to send a big thank you to each of you who recorded a video message for them. They thoroughly enjoyed watching them on their honeymoon, and these will be a keepsake their entire lives.

 

Since the wedding was so small, Andrew and Sarah got married in the “chapel” at Andrew’s church, rather than the main sanctuary. This was actually Andrew’s first choice to start with because he has many special memories there. It is the room where he was baptized, where both of his brothers were married, and where his dad’s funeral was held. It would not have been big enough for a large wedding, but 10 people was no problem. :-)

 

It is encouraging to look back and see all the details that turned out “better” because of Covid, and also all the little ways God provided. For example, Stephen still had robotic heads for two video cameras that he had been planning to resell, but hadn’t gotten to it.  They solved a last minute problem when we were suddenly limited on camera operators. 

 

We are so thankful to the Lord for a wonderful wedding and for all the ways we have seen His hand in bringing Andrew and Sarah together. And, as Andrew said at the wedding, all the guys who don’t like to go to weddings were able to stay home, relax, and watch as they fixed their lawnmower. :-)

I am sure that each of you reading this newsletter have had your plans changed this spring also, and not only for the past two months, but surely for the next two or three months as well, and probably even beyond. As you adjust and readjust your plans and face disappointments, don’t forget to take notice of God’s special blessings through it all, and the important good things that God is doing. The Lord will not forget us or our plans, but He has better plans and will accomplish better things. It is His purposes we desire. I am reminded of Joseph’s words in Genesis 50:20, “But as for you, ye thought evil against me; but God meant it unto good . . .” and also of Proverbs 16:9, “A man’s heart deviseth his way, but the LORD directeth his steps.” 

 

 

News and Prayer Requests

 

Pray for Sarah and Andrew as they start their new life together! If you would like to watch their wedding, listen to messages from the bridal party and family, or read more of their story, you can find it all here. If you had trouble with the audio during the live stream, the audio has been fixed on this updated version.  

Grace and Josiah are expecting the arrival of a mini-Moffitt in August! Please pray for a healthy pregnancy and that this child would grow to love the Lord at a young age and live for His glory.   

Strong in the Lord Conference Videos - We are currently working on making these available for mothers to do with their daughters at home. Please pray for the completion of this project and that many moms and daughters would be encouraged as they use this resource to seek the Lord together.

Continue praying for Bright Lights groups as they adjust their meetings and group interaction because of the virus.  Please pray for wisdom for leaders as they find creative ways to keep in contact with the girls in their group and also for wisdom to know how and when to meet together safely as the restrictions are lifted. 

 

Online Resource of the Month: Speak Truth in Your Heart Poster

This 18 x 24 inch poster matches the cover of our book, Speak Truth in Your Heart, and features Ephesians 6:10,18 reminding us of the daily battle we are in, and the importance of holding up the Shield of Faith and Sword of the Spirit.

Special price for the poster is $2.00. Use promo code: poster2020 to receive the discount. Good through June 30th, 2020.

 

Upcoming Schedule

(All are tentative right now because of COVID-19. Any changes will be noted on our website.)

 

June 12-13: Homeschool Iowa Conference – CANCELLED DUE TO COVID-19

June 20: Men’s One Day 100 Mile Bike Trip – the “Centurion Challenge” – contact Harold Mally for details.

Just Men Conference (for men age 16 and up) – Cedar Rapids, Iowa – Harold plans to lead a Just Men conference this summer, but the date is undecided because of COVID. If you are interested in more information, click here or contact Harold.

August 13-23 – We will decide our plans after the State Fair announces their decision in mid-June: Iowa State Fair Evangelism Outreach with Answers in Genesis

Sep. 25-27: Ladies Retreat – Camp Hope, Dahlonega, GA, Sarah is speaking

 

May God richly bless you and your families!

The Mally Family, Hancock Family, Moffitt Family, and Bright Lights Staff

 

[clueliss]

Newsletter alert

Man on a White Horse, Online conference in July for mothers of daughters 8 to 14, Bright Lights Leadership Training (um - free perhaps?) - due to covid they won't be training folks for the Iowa State Fair.

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Dear Friends,

Hello to each of you! We are excited to tell you about two Bright Lights opportunities—a free Leaders’ Training, and the first-ever online Strong in the Lord conference! We hope that both of these are a blessing and encouragement to your families during these strange times. See details of both of these below.

 

 

The One on the White Horse (by Sarah)

 

16 Years Ago …

 

One day when I was 25 years old I received a phone call from a good friend to tell me the exciting news that she was engaged! I rejoiced with her and sent her an email that evening to tell her how happy I was for her. In my email, referring to a princess allegory I had shared in Bright Lights, I said: “You waited on the Lord and then one day you looked up and saw your prince coming on a white horse!”

 

A few minutes later I prayed, “Lord, help me to keep my focus on You and not be distracted.” I had learned from previous experience that when other friends got engaged, it could be an easier time for me to feel discouraged or impatient in singleness.

 

Just then I remembered something very interesting from my morning devotions. That morning I had read Revelation 19, and verse 11 had stood out to me: “Then I saw heaven opened, and behold, a white horse! The one sitting on it is called Faithful and True.”

 

When sending my email to the friend about the white horse, I hadn’t even remembered about my verse from the morning! But right then I knew God was reminding me that Jesus is my ultimate Bridegroom—the One I am waiting for, and the One who can always satisfy.

 

Fast Forward 16 Years …

 

It was my wedding day, May 2nd, 2020. I opened my Bible … But wait, first let me back up. One thing that Andrew had suggested to me last year was that we follow the same Bible reading plan. That way it would be easy to discuss what we were reading when we were together. I really liked his idea, and we started a chronological “through-the Bible-in-a-year” plan in the late spring of 2019.

 

Well, it “just so happened” that our reading plan ended on May 2nd—our wedding day! So when I opened up my Bible on my wedding morning, the passage to read was Revelation 19-22. It was almost surreal that those same verses that had been such a great encouragement to me in singleness were the verses the Lord orchestrated for me to read the morning of my wedding.

 

How perfect to read about the marriage supper of the Lamb just a few hours before my own marriage. And then to enjoy that very same verse: “Then I saw heaven opened, and behold, a white horse! The one sitting on it is called Faithful and True” (Rev. 19:11).

 

What a special reminder on my wedding day, that not only had the Lord answered my prayer by bringing me a godly and wonderful husband on earth, but Jesus is still my ultimate Bridegroom. He is still the One I wait for and the One who ultimately satisfies.

 

God’s timing is perfect … both in bringing marriages together and also in leading us in our Bible reading plans! :-)

 

Strong in the Lord Online Conference

For mothers and daughters ages: 8-14
July 24-25th – online only

 

Topics:

How to Be Strong for the Lord in Your Youth

Making Brothers and Sisters Best Friends

Developing a Love for God’s Word

How to Turn Your Heart to Your Parents

Avoiding Wrong Influences

Deepening Your Walk with Jesus Christ

Online sessions include humorous skits, testimonies, a chalk talk, and practical, Biblical teaching that will challenge and prepare young ladies to remain strong for the Lord through their teen years.

 

To see a 2-minute sample of Sarah’s teaching at this conference, click here:

 

Designed for moms and daughters to enjoy at home, this conference includes:

Two Strong in the Lord Handbooks which will be mailed to you in advance
(Each additional daughter who registers will also receive a handbook.)

Online access to the Strong in the Lord Conference sessions from a previously recorded live conference (available July 24-25th). 

Instruction booklet for how to make this a special and meaningful time with your daughter(s)

Registration: $25 for one mother and one daughter (each additional daughter is $10)
Family max price: $55.00

Late registration: (after July 15th) $30.00 / family max $65.00

 

Find more information or register here.

 

What is Happening Next With Bright Lights? (by Sarah)

Andrew and I think it is perfect timing to have a more relaxed season of ministry (because of COVID-19) right now when we are newlyweds! We are enjoying a more relaxed pace and all the time together, for sure.

 

Currently, no live conferences are being planned, as we wait to see what happens with COVID -19. However, the heart of the Bright Lights ministry has always been training leaders in discipleship, and that is something that can still happen during COVID. In fact, we are especially excited about this month’s special, and we are praying for many new Bright Lights groups to start this fall.

 

This month we are offering the Leaders’ Training conference audio download and Leaders’ Training manual download for free.

 

This conference is for ladies of any age who have a heart for discipleship. The great commission is not “go and make converts,” but “go and make disciples” (Matt. 28:19-20). Unfortunately, many Christians are unsure about how to fulfill this calling. Many have never been discipled themselves, and have never been taught how to disciple others. Leading a Bright Lights group will give training and experience in this most important basic of ministry: how to “disciple.”  

 

This conference gives biblical training in many aspects of discipleship, and specifically how to disciple a small group of girls. When I began leading my Bright Lights group in 1996, I grew so much! It helped me in my walk with the Lord, in personal Bible study (as I prepared to teach others), and I grew in confidence and leadership. Many Bright Lights leaders have told us that by leading a group they are the ones who grew the most.

 

The goal of each Bright Lights group is not simply to teach younger girls, but to train girls to disciple more girls! One Bright Lights leader recently, told us, “In Ontario, at least one of the families who attended our group has actually started a new one! It’s great to see this multiplication in action!”

 

Once you go through the Leaders’ Training, you can apply to be an official Bright Lights leader here.

 

Online Special of the Month: Leaders’ Training Conference for Free

Includes Leaders’ manual download and 12 audio sessions from the Leaders’ Training Conference
To get the free conference, add both the manual and the training sessions into your cart. Use promo code: leaders2020 to receive the discount. Good through July 31st, 2020.

 

Sessions Included

A Vision for Discipleship

Seven Responsibilities of a Leader

Practical Ways to Reach the Hearts of Young Ladies

Applying Key Principles of Ministry

The Unexpected Quality of a Leader

Leading an Effective Meeting

The Offense of the Cross

How to Develop a Ministry

Rewards and Demands of the Ministry

To read more about the specific goals and distinctives of Bright Lights click here.

 

Upcoming Schedule

July 24-25 – Strong in the Lord Online Conference

August 13-23 – There will be no Testify Training Camp this year because the Iowa State Fair has been cancelled because of COVID-19.

August  – Baby Moffitt is scheduled to be born :-)

Sep. 25-27: Ladies Retreat – Camp Hope, Dahlonega, GA, Sarah is speaking

 

May God richly bless you and your families!

The Mally Family, Hancock Family, Moffitt Family, and Bright Lights Staff

 

[clueliss]

New Newsletter - and this has a bit in it from Josiah Moffit.

https://tomorrowsforefathers.com/?na=v&nk=2636-3966734d81&id=46

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Dear Friends,

 

Hello to each of you! We hope you enjoy this word of encouragement from Grace’s husband, Josiah.

 

Despite the discouraging times in the world, we have had some big encouragements in our ministry which we are excited to tell you about. (See below.)

 

What a Wife Will Do: Grace Changes Everything (By Josiah Moffitt)

 This is a picture of my house:

 

 

It has remained this way for about 7 years.  The dreary brown shutters, the overgrown bushes, the crooked pine on the corner, and the grass encroaching onto the sidewalk never had bothered me.  But recently, many neighbors have noted and praised the new transformation taking place.

“Good job removing the bush.  Are you going to get rid of the other one?”

“Your lawn looks sharp.”

“What a labor of love.”

“If you keep working on your house, you’re going to make the rest of us look bad!”

The transformation outside started because of a change inside the home.  The house that had sheltered only a bachelor now contains a woman.  It was this inner change that affected the outside of the house, and she will continue to transform the home.  The crooked tree has been removed.  The bushes are in process of being removed.  The sidewalk has been edged.  Flowers and cherry trees have been planted.  The shutters and door have been painted.

It is the same in our Christian lives. It is the Lord Jesus Christ living and working in us that impacts our outer life. My neighbors recognize that the change didn’t come from a new passion for landscaping but rather from a new presence within the home. May the world likewise recognize that the changes they see in our lives are because of Christ’s presence within.
 

Online Strong in the Lord Conference

We have received a great response to the upcoming conference with over 500 mothers and daughters registered from all over the world: Australia, Canada, England, India, Indonesia, Ireland, Mozambique, and the United States! The only downside is that we have sold out of materials (but that’s a great problem!). We are still taking registrations, but instead of sending out physical packages of the Strong in the Lord Handbooks and Mother’s Conference Guides, we are sending links so that you can download these materials yourself. If you would still like to attend, you can register here.

We also plan to host this conference again in the coming months once we have more materials printed (date to be determined), so if you would prefer physical copies of the materials, you can wait until the next one.
 

Prayer and Praise

Nickie Biegler left for Mexico last week. She will be speaking to young ladies at two different camps, and also helping with an evangelism outreach. Pray for safety and for God’s blessing on her trip.

Pray for the upcoming online Strong in the Lord conference. We are thrilled that so many are able to attend, and it’s especially encouraging that a group of about 15 families from Indonesia are joining us for this conference. We are praying that many young girls will catch a deeper vision to live for Christ and grow deeper in their walks with Him. We are also praying that it will be a very special bonding time for many moms and daughters.

Josiah and Grace are expecting a baby girl next month! We are all super excited and praying that everything will go smoothly.    

Online Resource of the Month

Bright Lights Notebook and Set One for 20% off  ($14.40)

Plus Free Set 1 Discussion Guide Booklet  

 

This resource is recommended as a discipleship program for young ladies and mothers to read and discuss together. It gives practical teaching and encouragement, and includes testimonies from many other young ladies. 

The following lessons are included in Set One: 
1. Being Strong for the Lord in Your Youth 
2. Developing a Close Relationship with Your Parents 
3. Gaining a Clear Conscience 
4. Developing a Disciplined Walk with God 
5. Understanding the Fear of the Lord 
6. Accepting the Way God Created You 
7. Being Fully Dedicated to God 

It also includes “daily growth” pages to encourage girls in their personal devotions, and a section for girls to record their own testimonies as they grow in the Lord. One CD of stories and testimonies is also included.

 

This resource is especially recommended as a follow up to the online conference. Use promo code: setone2020 to receive the discount. Good through August 30, 2020. Cannot be combined with any other offer.

Upcoming Schedule

 

July 24-25 – Strong in the Lord Online Conference

August 13-23 – There will be no Testify Training Camp this year because the Iowa State Fair has been cancelled because of COVID-19.

Sep. 25-27: Ladies Retreat – Camp Hope, Dahlonega, GA, Sarah is speaking

 

May God richly bless you and your families!

The Mally Family, Moffitt Family, Hancock Family, and Bright Lights Staff

 

[JermajestyDuggar]

I am actually really glad those two girls are married. Because they got to leave that horrible father. I hope that in the future they can see their parents more clearly and enjoy their lives with their husbands. 

[clueliss]

Newsletter time.

Linking to the blog because there are photos of the storm damage

https://mallyjournal.com/?p=18328

https://mallyjournal.com/?p=18367

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Dear Friends,

Well, it wasn’t technically a hurricane, it was a derecho. But it had hurricane level wind and damage. We have never experienced anything like it—straight line winds up to 140 mph ripped through our city and left it in shambles. Nearly every house in Cedar Rapids and Marion had some kind of damage. One third of the trees were damaged. Trees, telephone poles, and power lines were all over the streets for days. Now all the streets are lined with huge piles of logs and brush.

The Bright Lights office was without power, internet, or phone lines for 12 days, so we apologize for anyone who has tried to contact us. But we have seen God’s blessings in the midst of the storm for sure, which we are excited to share with you in this newsletter.

We all know, just from events of 2020, how quickly one’s world can change. You may remember that in last month’s newsletter, Josiah Moffitt shared how their house had been transformed on the outside because of a new presence on the inside. Well, Josiah and Grace’s home has gone through another unexpected transformation!  Last week, in one hour, it changed dramatically for the worse. But we saw God’s protection in a mighty way. When one knows the Lord, dramatic challenges, loss and change become opportunities because God is always at work.
 

A Hurricane in Iowa? (By Grace)

It was Monday night, August 10th 2020, about 9:30.

Josiah and I had been in bed for about 30 minutes when we heard an unwanted sound. “Drip.” Then, “Drop, drip, drip.”

“Josiah, did you hear that? I think it’s dripping on our mattress,” I said.

It had been a really long dramatic day. A derecho came roaring through our town around noon. It caught almost everyone by surprise because we had very little warning and we’ve never had a storm of this intensity before in Iowa. From our place of refuge in the basement we could hear crashes and the sound of water upstairs but didn’t risk going up there until we knew it was safe. After the storm subsided, our neighborhood looked like a war zone—as did the rest of our city. Josiah spent the afternoon on the roof removing a huge limb and nailing down tarps. Inside the house, glass and debris covered our floor but without electricity we couldn’t vacuum. We finally went to bed by candlelight, worn out and pondering the crazy day. That is, until we heard the drip.

We could tell the drip was increasing, so we got up to place a bin underneath to catch the water. We decided we should move our mattress, and we were about to do so, when the entire ceiling above our bed fell. Chunks of drywall, insulation, and ceiling crashed down onto our bed and bedroom floor.                                                                                             

Had we stayed in bed one minute longer, the heavy jagged drywall would have landed on us (and our almost-born baby). As it was, it merely scraped my calf as I was walking away. Had we fallen asleep, we wouldn’t have heard the drip or moved. Had our baby already been born, her little body would have been under the drywall too (her bassinet connects to our bed). We’ve been praying for the Lord to protect our baby girl and we saw Him doing this very clearly.

No matter how hard we try, we cannot fully protect ourselves, or our baby. If there is one place that you think you should be safe, it’s in your own bed at night. Yet without the Lord’s protection, we are not even safe there. Psalm 127 says, “Unless the LORD builds the house, they labor in vain who build it; Unless the LORD guards the city, the watchman keeps awake in vain.” I am so thankful that we have a mighty Protector.

If you would like to see pictures and read a few more details about the recent storm, see my two recent blog posts "First Year of Marriage Adventures" and "The Devastation of Cedar Rapids".
 

 

What Andrew Was Doing When the Storm Hit (By Sarah)

When I left for work at the Bright Lights office last Monday (the day of the storm), I asked Andrew what his plans were for the day. Among other things, he said he was planning to work on illustrations for his sermon on Sunday. The passage Andrew was speaking on was Matthew 14:22-36—the story of Jesus walking on water and calming the storm.

When Stephen texted me a few hours later, saying a bad storm was on the way, I wasn’t too concerned. But I did text Andrew to let him know so he could take a few precautions. An hour later, Andrew was sitting downstairs in the dark with a massive storm crashing above him, thinking, “Well, I got my illustration!”

Sunday morning Andrew spoke outdoors in our church parking lot. The congregation sat on tree stump pews and Andrew preached from a timber pulpit, both cut the day before out of a huge tree that covered the parking lot. In addition to sharing about the recent derecho storm, Andrew shared about his trial of chronic pain, and how he has seen God’s faithfulness in this “storm” of life. Jesus is in control and He cares for us no matter what. His words bring comfort, and through the storm, we grow in our understanding of who God is. It was a Sunday to remember!

You can watch Andrew’s sermon here.

 

News & Prayer Requests

Great Response to the Online Conference
We received a very encouraging response to the online Strong in the Lord conference! Six hundred moms and daughters participated from Australia, Canada, China, England, India, Indonesia, Ireland, Mozambique, and the United States. Many mothers reported that it was a very impactful time for their daughters, and we loved hearing all the creative ideas of ways moms made it special for their girls: buying flowers, planning special snacks, going out to eat, making crafts together, and taking walks to process what they learned. We ran out of Strong in the Lord handbooks, so we are planning to host another conference, as soon as we are able to get more materials printed, hopefully in October. Date to be announced.
 

Upcoming Online Radiant Purity Conference
Sarah is currently planning an online Radiant Purity conference which we hope to schedule for November. This will include skits and sessions from a previous conference, as well as new material Sarah will be presenting. Sarah and Andrew will also be sharing together about some of the lessons the Lord has taught them in their relationship. 
 

Nickie is Home from Mexico
Nickie Biegler had a fantastic trip to Mexico. She spoke three times at a girls camp and twice to the ladies at a young adults camp. She said the girls really seemed to be listening as she talked about living for God’s glory, guarding your heart, lessons learned in the wilderness, and the story of Esther Ahn Kim: A Living Sacrifice. She was also very blessed by her time with missionaries and by the evangelism outreach she and her brother helped with. 
 

Baby Moffitt!
We are all eagerly awaiting the arrival of Grace and Josiah’s baby! Pray that all would go well with the labor and delivery.

 

Online Resource of the Month – 100 Bible Topic Sheets

This month we are giving 30% off the 100 Bible Topic Sheets binder and/or download.

A couple women at our church spent hours and hours studying Scripture and compiling this excellent resource. They chose 100 important topics in Scripture and selected 31 key verses to go with each one.

These topical study sheets are a wealth of valuable Scripture verses compiled for easy use and application. They can be used in a variety of ways to aid in personal study, meditation and memorization, as a Bible study for a family or small group, or as a simple concordance.

Covering topics such as attributes of God, fear, temptation and wisdom, these study sheets are a wonderful resource to have on hand. They provide 31 verses related to each topic and could easily be used for a monthly study on each particular topic. All Scripture verses are quoted in the NASB.

To receive the discount, use promo code: Bibletopics2020. Good through September 30, 2020. Limit 5 per person. Cannot be combined with any other offer.
 

Upcoming Schedule

Sep. 25-27: Ladies Retreat – Camp Hope, Dahlonega, GA, Sarah is speaking

October (tentative, dates TBA)  – online Strong in the Lord Conference

November (tentative, dates TBA) – online Radiant Purity Conference

May God richly bless you and your families!

The Mally Family, Moffitt Family, Hancock Family, and Bright Lights Staff

 

[deborahlynn1979]

I hope the Mallys realize that many of the people who were kind and helped them are likely not believers of the same religion they are, but something tells me they are too daft to get that.

[AmazonGrace]

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No matter how hard we try, we cannot fully protect ourselves, or our baby. If there is one place that you think you should be safe, it’s in your own bed at night. Yet without the Lord’s protection, we are not even safe there. Psalm 127 says, “Unless the LORD builds the house, they labor in vain who build it; Unless the LORD guards the city, the watchman keeps awake in vain.” I am so thankful that we have a mighty Protector.

Perhaps their protector is mighty whenever he cares but if he let their home be destroyed he could certainly have done a better job looking after them

[Johannah]

I just watched parts of Sarah’s wedding on YouTube. I know this was all said previously, but holy shit! Her dad literally started his speech with “I was so disappointed when I found out Sarah was a girl.” What the fuck?? This man does not deserve a child. Poor poor Sarah. Even the groomsman behind him seemed to be cringing at the man’s speech. Awful!

Also, in the Q&A section at the end of the video, when Andrew is asked what he loves about Sarah he says oh, there are so many things. And then he says, I love that she is so easy to lead. Her favorite word is sure. I ask her to do something and she always says sure. So I knew that my leadership was strong and that was a sign that god had a hand in this marriage. 

What the everloving fuck? The only thing he has to say about her is that she does what he says???? This seems extreme even for fundies. I know they seem to have a lot in common, but I’m just not sure how much this guy is into her. To be single, and fundie, and a pastor, and not hideous or a total dick, and still single at 41? is already extremely atypical. Then to wait 2 years after meeting someone at that age to propose??? When the biological clock is screaming loud alarm bells???? It doesn’t add up.

When asked what was special about their time together before marriage, he said how excited everyone else was about them being together. Again, not about Sarah or their relationship. And maybe also a source of extra pressure to commit?? Something seems off. Aside from the fact that these people are so deeply steeped in the misogynistic kool-aid.

At this age I am doubtful there will be any quiver at all. At least biologically. Odds are definitely against them. Hopefully if she wants children, adoption won’t be out of the question, although often there are parental age restrictions. 

Has Grace had her baby yet?
 

[Bluebirdbluebell]

Well Sarah's brother is adopted. 

The biological clock is not necessarily a reason to rush into marriage. Some people would rather be sure they've found the right person. Since she was over 35, they could have married sooner and still not been blessed. 

As for the wedding, the amazing part is as bad as Harold Mally's speech was, Marlin Bontrager outdid him at Allison's wedding. So did Jeremiah's father (groom's father) at the same wedding. 

I, too, have been wondering about Grace's baby. I'm surprised no big announcement especially for a first child from the first child to provide grandchildren. 

[JermajestyDuggar]

I’m glad they likely won’t have any bio kids and I hope they don’t want to adopt. I’m tired of these giant fundie families that abuse and neglect their children. Couples like Amanda and Russel Smith are still seemingly happy and childless. I want these couples to show all these other quiverful people that you can still be happy in a childless marriage.

[Tangy Bee]

Wow, and I thought giving a drunk relative the microphone would be a whole lot worse! Is it a requirement that fundie dads have a long ass, inappropriate speech at their daughter's wedding!?! That poor woman waited a LONG time.

[clueliss]

Maly's - now with Baby.

Hosanna Moffitt was born August 27 per the newsletter. 

 

Linking to the online version here because there are baby photos

https://tomorrowsforefathers.com/?na=v&nk=2636-3966734d81&id=50

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Dear Friends,

Hello to each of you! We are so thankful that the Lord has added a new member to our family! Each new season has new lessons. We hope that this article encourages you not to become weary in parenting—whether you have physical children or spiritual ones.

 

We are encouraged that many registrations have already come in for the next online Strong in the Lord conference. Scroll down for more information, and please note that the early registration ends in about 2 weeks.

 

Grace’s Baby is Born (By Harold Mally)

“Here, this gift is for both of you,” Grace said as she handed it to me and Rebekah on Christmas morning last year. I had not the slightest expectation of what it might be. In it we found two children’s books and a tie. The tie said “Grandpa 2020” and the books were titled God Gave Me Grandma and God Gave Me Grandpa.

 

We didn’t know that Grace and Josiah were recording us on their phone to capture the surprise as Rebekah leaped from the chair to rush over and hug Grace and as I sat there stunned. ?

 

On August 27th, at 1:02 am, after a long hard labor, Hosanna Joyce Moffitt came into the world. Hosanna means “Deliver Us.” When Josiah and Grace announced her name, they mentioned that they appreciate how her name points us to the return of the Lord Jesus. We all think it is a very fitting name for these troublesome times, and we have welcomed Hosanna into our family with much excitement and joy!

 

In the weeks since Hosanna was born, both Grace and Josiah have continued to have hard labor every day. They expected this of course. Everyone knows that babies take lots of time and delicate care and allow little sleep for weeks. Raising children is frontloaded. It requires full time investment upfront, but it pays off. Baby knows she is loved. She doesn’t understand that yet, but she learns by experience that she is cared for. That’s actually the first thing she learns, maybe unconsciously, but she knows that there are two people that meet all her needs and she always wants to be with them. A most important foundation is being established.

 

Having a newborn baby in the family is a constant reminder of how labor intensive, but also how wonderful, spiritual children are. Newborn Christians require the same kind of care as infants as they need to be constantly fed the basic milk of the Word, and as they are lovingly guided, protected, and encouraged until they are established in the faith. Discipleship is tiring, difficult, burdensome work, and yet nothing compares to the joy it brings. And just like with a newborn baby, much of the fruit may not be seen for years to come.

 

Some of you may be exhausted and worn out from parenting right now; others may be exhausted from spiritual parenting. Be encouraged that the work you are doing is of eternal importance. It is a full time investment with unbelievable returns. 

 

“... Feed my sheep.”  John 21:17

 

“... when I could no longer endure it, I sent to know your faith, ... for now we live, if you stand fast in the Lord.”   I Thessalonians 3:5,8

 

“As newborn babes, desire the pure milk of the word, that you may grow thereby”  I Peter 2:2

 

 

 

Seeing God Use Covid (By Harold Mally)

Recently I have felt led to pray for a certain church in our town. I have been praying that they would preach the gospel and make it bold and clear. Over the past few years quite a few people have commented to me that this is the church they go to, but some of them didn’t seem to be believers. It is a larger church where it is easy to get lost in the crowd.

 

This past weekend I happened to be talking to a lady about Covid and I mentioned that there have actually been a lot of good things that have resulted from this plague (bars shut down, dads working at home, many new home schoolers, to name a few). 

 

The lady said, “There’s another good result. We have seen a lot of people saved at our church recently because many people who are too uncomfortable to go to church are willing to go to church online. As a result, people are hearing the gospel and getting saved.” 

 

I said, “That’s great!  Where do you go to church?”  

 

She named the very church I had been praying for. ?

 

God’s plan and program are not defeated by disease or natural disasters or by man’s politics.  But His plan and program are greatly advanced when Christians pray.

 

Strong in the Lord Online Conference

For mothers and daughters ages 8-14+

November 13-14th, 2020 – online only

 

We are excited that we have scheduled a second online Strong in the Lord conference. We received very encouraging feedback from our first online conference in July and are so excited about how the Lord worked in girls’ lives. Since we ran out of materials last time, we wanted to make the conference available again as soon as we could get more materials printed!

 

To see pictures and read a report of the last conference, click here.

 

For information about the upcoming conference or to register click here.

 

Please note: Because shipping has been taking longer recently, the early registration deadline is October 12th. After this date, we will send the materials via priority shipping.

 

Online Resources of the Month:

Ready to Give an Answer—A course in Christian evidences  $7.00 (30% off)

Discovering Bible Study —A course in personal Bible study $7.00  (30% off)

 

We have found the Emmaus Correspondence School Bible Study courses to be very useful resources. They are doctrinally sound, well written, concise, and practical to daily life. They also come with an optional test which can be sent in and graded for free. This month we are offering two of our favorite courses at 30% off.

 

Ready to Give an Answer will help you defend your faith, and answer the questions of others in a way that demonstrates that our faith is reasonable, logical and credible.

 

Discovering Bible Study walks you through a simple and helpful way to deepen your personal Bible study using “The 7 Question Method.”

 

They are good for all ages, but we recommend them especially for high school students. At checkout use ECS20. Offer good through October 31st.

 

Upcoming Schedule

November 13-14  – Online Strong in the Lord Conference

December (tentative, dates TBA) – Online Radiant Purity Conference

 

May God richly bless you and your families!

The Mally Family, Moffitt Family, Hancock Family, and Bright Lights Staff

 

[JermajestyDuggar]

Harold must be disappointed it’s yet another lowly girl.

[Bluebirdbluebell]

They already knew it was a girl before she was born. And the granddaughter won't share/pass down his surname even she was a boy. She has her father's surname, not Harold's. 

Harold sounds almost human talking how the parents love their baby. I guess he grew up since Sarah was a baby. 

[JermajestyDuggar]

21 minutes ago, Bluebirdbluebell said:

They already knew it was a girl before she was born. And the granddaughter won't share/pass down his surname even she was a boy. She has her father's surname, not Harold's. 

Harold sounds almost human talking how the parents love their baby. I guess he grew up since Sarah was a baby. 

Harold adopted a boy so he could pass his name down. I hope he never gets married. 

[clueliss]

Bright Lights Leader email

 

link - because hey -you might want to see the picture of the thankfulness jars (Comment as a former leader - do you know how not interested in the suggest crafts  or heaven help me - music - even CCM music) the girls we had were?  (because when I asked for music suggestions the response was typically - Justin Bieber)

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Dear Bright Lights Leaders,

 

I pray that you are staying encouraged through these difficult times!

 

One verse I have been thinking about recently is Psalm 138:8. “The Lord will fulfill His purpose for me; Your steadfast love, O Lord, endures forever.” The Lord knows the plan He has for each of us, and He is working it out with wisdom and love. When things in your life or Bright Lights group aren’t going according to your plan, it is encouraging to remember that God’s plan is bigger, better, and wiser … and He is always right on time with whatever He does.

 

Here is a definition of discipleship I heard someone share: “Discipleship is the transferal of everything I have in Christ to someone else.” Discipleship is never ending, because the more we learn in Christ, the more we have to teach others. Nothing is more difficult than discipleship, and nothing is more rewarding.

 

As you invest in your girls through your teaching, life, friendship, care, and counsel, may they see Christ in you more and more. And may you find renewed strength for the invaluable work God has called you to.

 

In this Leaders update you will find:

1-      An update about the upcoming online conference

2-      An idea to help girls in your group take notes

3-      An encouraging devotional from Rosie, Bright Lights leader in Ohio

4-      Two Thanksgiving craft ideas

 

Online Strong in the Lord Conference

There are about 350 moms and daughters registered for the upcoming online Strong in the Lord conference! We are excited to hear how the Lord is already at work preparing moms and daughters for this weekend. We are also encouraged that a number of Bright Lights leaders are hosting groups for this conference. We pray that it is a very impactful and bonding time for each group. There is still time if you are interested in hosting a group. Email Nickie if you would like the information on how to do this.

 

Bright Lights Lesson Map Idea (from Hannah Fisher and Rosie Alexander, leaders in Ohio)

Rosie Alexander (who helps Hannah Fisher lead a Bright Lights group in Ohio) told me about the "Bright Lights Lesson Map" they use for helping their girls take notes. I love this idea and wanted to share it with you all. (You can find the “Bright Lights Lesson Map” on the Leaders Website, under Resources: Set One, meeting One.) Here is how they use it:

 

"We use this Lesson Map in our Bright Lights group for each meeting and is intended to help our girls learn how to take good notes, apply what they've learned, and be able to share it with the rest of the group and others. At the top of the Lesson Map we have the 'Destination' and 'Compass'. The destination is our lesson topic for the meeting, and the compass is the main Scripture passage we focus on for the lesson. For example, our topic – or destination – might be Gaining a Clear Conscience, and the Scripture passage – or compass – is Acts 5:1-11 about Ananias & Sapphira. Each of the four boxes below the 'Destination' and 'Compass' can be filled out by the girls throughout the lesson as they take notes. The 'Questions?' box is for writing out any questions the girls might have during the lesson, which they will have the opportunity to ask afterwards during our group discussion time. The 'Lightbulb!' box is for writing down anything in the lesson that stood out to the girls or was a new thought for them (it's always amazing to see what things stick out to the girls!). The 'Change' box is for writing down things they learn in the lesson that they would like to begin changing in (think, practical application!). And the final box, 'Share', is for writing down anything the girls learn in the lesson that they would like to share with others. This has been a useful tool for us and has strengthened the positive peer pressure in our group. I hope that it will benefit others, as well!"

 

Thoughts From the Word (submitted by Rosie Alexander, Bright Lights leader in Ohio)

How much the Lord has for us in His Word. What a wealth of knowledge, a treasury of wisdom, a hidden cave of precious stones – the storehouses of heaven at our disposal, where gold is found even on the dust of its pages! If miners risk their lives to dig up and find a mere handful of gold dust, how much more so we miners of God’s Word to find wisdom and the knowledge of the Lord! May we dig deeply and search diligently then to know the Lord at all costs, and to receive the Word of God as the Thessalonians did: welcoming it “not as the word of men, but as it is in truth, the word of God, which also effectively works in you who believe” (1 Thessalonians 2:13b)!

 

I want to share with you one such gem that I recently found while reading in Nehemiah. Nehemiah and the children of Israel had just finished rebuilding the wall of Jerusalem in record time, 52 days. After all of the opposition they had experienced from their adversaries, the oppression they had received from their own wealthy Jewish brethren among them, the conspiracy against Nehemiah – all these obstacles they had faced – you might think that the first thing they would do is celebrate the wall’s completion, or at least rest from all their labors! Instead, on the first day of the seventh month, the children of Israel gathered together to worship God and hear the words of the Book of the Law read to them by Ezra the scribe. In Nehemiah 8, we read that when the Law of God was read and explained to them by Nehemiah, Ezra, and the other leaders, all of the people mourned and wept. They were grieved! But the leaders quieted the people and instructed them not to weep. Why? Because it was a holy day to the Lord – because of the Lord’s holiness! They commanded them instead to rejoice greatly because they understood the words that were declared to them.

 

I found this very interesting! What made the people grieve in the first place was God’s holiness in seeing their sin and iniquities through the reading of God’s Law; but we learn from this passage that the proper response to seeing our sin in the light of God’s Word is not first to mourn, but to rejoice! To be glad because of God’s holiness, and to rejoice greatly because we have been given understanding to see our sin as it is. That is only a work of God’s mercy through the Holy Spirit! And the Lord desires our praise even when beholding our sin. But shouldn’t sin also grieve us? Isn’t it a repulsive offense to God that must be confessed and dealt with? Well, God’s Word sheds light on this in Nehemiah 9. Israel’s worship didn’t stop there. The next day, when they came together again to worship God and read from the Book of the Law, the people of Israel all stood and confessed their sins together to God. Did you know that confessing our sins is one way that we worship God? Just take a few minutes sometime to read carefully through all of Nehemiah chapter 9! As Israel confessed their sins, they blessed and praised the Lord over and over again, declared His faithful character, and recounted their history, their sins, and all the things God had done for them. They were focusing their minds on the Lord as they confessed their iniquities!

 

Can you imagine if you spent your time of confession before the Lord extolling His character, blessing His name, and remembering His past mercies to you, how much more effective it would be? So often, when I come before the Lord with sin to confess, I find it difficult not to be discouraged and become focused on myself and my failures; and I’m always quick to get into addressing my sin. I mean, how can God be pleased with my praises if I have sin I need to take care of first? But after meditating on these two passages in Nehemiah, I was freshly reminded that even confessing my sin is about Him and not me. When we see our sin shown to us the Word, our focus in approaching the Lord should first be praise for who He is – His holiness & His righteousness, His mercy & His readiness to forgive. And then we can bring our sins and failures before Him, continuing to focus on His worthiness and the work that He has done. This will turn our gaze away from ourselves, and onto Christ, exalting Him and invigorating us in the fight against sin. What an offering of worship our repentance then becomes!

 

My friends, may we no longer wallow in self-focus and discouragement. But may our eyes ever be toward the Lord! For He will keep our feet from stumbling (Psalm 25:15). “If You, LORD, should mark iniquities, O LORD, who could stand? But there is forgiveness with You, That You may be feared.” (Psalm 130:3-4) May we fear the Lord and rejoice – for the joy of the Lord is our strength! (Nehemiah 8:10b)

 

Learning & beholding Him,

Rosie

 

Thanksgiving Craft Ideas

Here are 2 Thanksgiving craft ideas my (Sarah’s) girls have really liked.

 

Thankfulness Jars

 

 

Last year we made “thankfulness jars” in our Bright Lights group. We provided small jars and materials to decorate them, such as colored paper and ribbon (see above). The goal was for the girls to write down something that they were thankful for each day on the provided slips and add it into the jar. Then on Thanksgiving Day they could open the jar and read them all. Another option was for them to make it as a gift for their mom and/or dad and write down things that they were specifically thankful for about them and then give it to them as a gift on Thanksgiving Day. Each girl decorated her jar and then cut out slips of paper with the words “I’m thankful______________” printed on them.

If anyone wants to do this in their group and would like the file, just let Nickie know and she would be happy to share it.

 

Turkey Craft

Here’s another fun and easy craft. We made these cute turkeys a few years ago and the girls loved them.

 

May the Lord continue to bless each of you as you serve Him!

 

With Joy in Christ,

Sarah

 

Sarah Hancock

 

[clueliss]

And the regular Maly newsletter.  Harold is deluisional

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Dear Friends,

 

Happy Fall! In this newsletter you will find Mr. Mally’s latest witnessing idea, and an update on our upcoming online conference. Also, it’s time to think about Christmas scrolls!

 

Finally, notice our special resource of the month: Biblically Handling Social Media and Technology which is available for $3.00.

 

What Our Country Needs Most   by Harold Mally

I have a new opening line for witnessing. Ever since COVID and the protesting began, I have been starting conversations with this one sentence: “Our country sure needs God!”  Without fail, every time, the reply I get is an emphatic, “We sure do!” or, “That is absolutely right!” (I’m waiting to get a “no” from some atheist or evolutionist, but I haven’t yet.)

At the post office – I was delivering several bins of packages, and I handed the postal worker our Resurrection Tract.  As he opened it, I said, “I have been handing this out, because our nation needs God!”
“Oh, we sure do! Things are crazy,” he replied.
We only had a few minutes but we had a great talk, and he even wanted to know what church I went to.
 

A roofer – He came to look at our Bright Lights office roof.  After discussing the roof, I used my line, “Our world sure needs God.” 

I got an emphatic agreement: “Oh, it sure does! The world is a mess!”

This led into a gospel talk, and I was able to explain to him that God wants to forgive sin, but we need to ask Him to forgive us.

Three weeks later he came back with the estimate.  After our roof discussion I asked, “Did you get a chance to think about our talk about God we had last time?”

“I sure did,” he replied. “I thought about it all the way home.”

This is especially encouraging because he lives an hour and a half away!  So again we were able to talk through the gospel clearly.
 

The motel assistant – “Thanks for your good breakfast this morning,” I said shortly before Rebekah and I were ready to leave.  “Here’s something for you,” I continued, handing her the Resurrection Tract.  “Our country really needs God.” 

Again I heard, “Oh, it sure does!”

And again we had a long talk through the gospel.  She was very receptive, and since she was in her early 20s I gave her a copy of Sarah’s book, Speak Truth in Your Heart. 

The battle is raging.  But God, by letting the world face a fearful time, has given us opportunity to start many talks. I hope you can use my new opening line. We need to be ready every day for every encounter. 

 

Strong in the Lord Online Conference

For mothers and daughters ages 8-14+

November 13-14th, 2020 – online only

 

We are excited that we have about 375 moms and daughters already registered for the upcoming online Strong in the Lord conference. If you plan to attend we encourage you to register as soon as possible to make sure you receive your materials on time. The post office seems to be moving more slowly because of COVID and the elections. We will ship your handbooks via priority shipping as soon as we receive your registration.

 

Also if you would like to see pictures and read a report of the last conference, click here.  

 

For information about the upcoming conference or to register click here.

 

Christmas Scrolls – Ready to Ship!

 

Over the past two years, we have printed over 50,000 Christmas scrolls. Many of you have helped to hand them out, and it has been a highlight for us during each Christmas season to hear stories of how God has used them. Our country certainly needs to be reminded of the hope of Jesus this Christmas season! 2020 has been such a trying year; let us pray that people’s hearts will be even more responsive to the message of eternal life and peace.

 

We like to say, "Here’s the Christmas story from the Bible for you to read this Christmas," as we give them out. People receive them with gratefulness and warmth. They’re great to give to neighbors, doctors, coworkers, teachers, and anyone you meet.

This tract includes only Scripture as the text (plus a few websites at the end). It includes prophecies from Micah and Isaiah, the Christmas account from Matthew and Luke, and some gospel verses from John.

 

They are printed on attractive, glossy paper. We like to roll them up like scrolls, and band them with green paper or a ribbon. Everyone is typically very happy to get them. They are available in KJV and NASB from our online store in packs of 25, 50, 100, and 250.

 

 

 

Online Resource of the Month

Biblically Handling Social Media and Technology for $3.00 (50% off)

 

This 70-page, full-color booklet challenges young people and parents to evaluate their use of media based on God’s Word. Including Scripture, biblical principles, helpful suggestions, important questions to ask yourself, and testimonies from other young people, this booklet discusses Facebook, texting, Twitter, social media friendships, video games, and many other internet activities. It gives important cautions to consider and practical ideas about how we can use technology for God’s glory.

 

At checkout use media20. Offer good through November 30th, 2020. Limit 3 per person. By Biblical Discipleship Ministries.

 

Upcoming Schedule

November 13-14 – Online Strong in the Lord Conference

January (tentative, dates TBA) – Online Radiant Purity Conference

 

May God richly bless you and your families!

The Mally Family, Moffitt Family, Hancock Family, and Bright Lights Staff

Tomorrow's Forefathers, Inc.

 

[deborahlynn1979]

I wonder how many of those tracts go straight into the garbage bin once he leaves? I also imagine most people just agree with him to keep him from going on and on about Jesus, but from what he said here, it sounds like he never shuts up even when someone agrees with him.