faith

Weekend Reading, 7 August

Frank

Wow, what I week! I didn’t think I spent that much time online and thought this would be a short shout-out, but this list kept getting longer and longer. So, grab a large cup of coffee and read what I read this week:

 

Flashback Friday: It Is Well With My Soul

Frank

***This has been a rough week, or a rough several weeks, for many in and around my circle on the blogosphere and Twitter. Prayers continue to go out for Mike at Mike In Progress and Kevin at Shooting the Breeze. Peter Pollock put up a post on the song It Is Well With My Soul and it reminded me of this earlier post of mine from 5/23/08 when Steven Curtis Chapman’s daughter was accidentally killed playing in her driveway. A reminder we could all use.***

It was reported yesterday that the youngest daughter of Steven Curtis Chapman was killed in an accident at their home. My thoughts and prayers go out to him and his family. It is tempting to take Satan’s approach to Job that it’s easy to glorify God when everything is going well. But one’s faith is truly tested when the inexplicable happens. Steven Curtis Chapman has certainly glorified God through his music, but also through his family and the adoption non-profit he founded. For tragedy to strike his family directly like this must be gut-wrenching as he is likely wrestling with the question of “why?”

To relate to this songwriter, I turn to another- Horatio Spafford. If the name isn’t familiar, he’s the writer of It is Well With My Soul, one of my favorite hymns. This is the story “behind the music” (courtesy of Wikipedia):

This hymn was writ­ten af­ter several trau­matic events in Spaf­ford’s life. The first was the death of his only son in 1871, shortly followed by the great Chi­ca­go Fire which ru­ined him fi­nan­cial­ly (he had been a successful lawyer). Then in 1873, he had planned to travel to Europe with his family on the S.S. Ville Du Havre, but sent the family ahead while he was delayed on business. While cross­ing the At­lan­tic, the ship sank rapidly after a collision with an­o­ther ship, and all four of Spaf­ford’s daugh­ters died. His wife Anna sur­vived and sent him the now fa­mous tel­e­gram, “Saved alone.” Shortly afterwards, as Spaf­ford traveled to meet his grieving wife, he was inspired to write these words as his ship passed near where his daugh­ters had died…

When peace like a river, attendeth my way,
When sorrows like sea billows roll;
Whatever my lot, Thou hast taught me to say,
It is well, it is well, with my soul.


Though Satan should buffet, though trials should come,
Let this blest assurance control,
That Christ has regarded my helpless estate,
And hath shed His own blood for my soul.


My sin, oh, the bliss of this glorious thought!
My sin, not in part but the whole,
Is nailed to the cross, and I bear it no more,
Praise the Lord, praise the Lord, O my soul!.


And Lord, haste the day when my faith shall be sight,
The clouds be rolled back as a scroll;
The trump shall resound, and the Lord shall descend,
Even so, it is well with my soul.

Blogging to the Choir?

Frank

I’m insecure about my blog traffic, I admit. Frequently I consider hanging it all up, logging off, and not returning. I can’t keep up with Twitter traffic, nor can I take the time to read every other Christian blog I’ve found that I’m interested in. And I know that successfully doing both would increase interest and traffic on my blog.

I also question the value. Is there anyone really listening? I’m a sports junkie and I see this on message boards as well. Someone will pontificate on a point about fan behavior, or attendance, or a blown call a ref made. For the most part, everyone agrees. In those forums, you’re essentially preaching to the choir. Christian blogging isn’t much different. It’s unlikely non-believers are reading my blog; though I suppose they could be, I know they don’t comment. Followers and commenters are like-minded. I read their blogs, they read mine, and we both nod our heads in agreement. Don’t get me wrong, I come away after reading about others’ convictions with new convictions of my own. And that’s the hope I have with this blog. But I wonder…

So what difference does this all make? Will I transform the church with my words? Will these thoughts lead anyone to Christ? Is this even the correct medium for this message? Of course there are others who have this nailed. They know how to increase traffic, know how to appropriately respond when traffic is down, and sincerely believe in the medium (and these were all just from Saturday!). But I’m not so easily convinced.

Then last week something strange happened. A blogger, with the power of the pen (or pixel), disrupted the plans for expansion of an NCAA Division-1 FBS (don’t ask) conference, called a bluff on a state legislature, and likely single-handedly changed the landscape of college football. And he’s not done. If you don’t follow college football and the BCS, I’m talking about Chip Brown and the drama that ensued last week as the Big 12 effectively dissolved, the PAC 10 added Colorado, and the Mountain West took a week to announce they were adding Boise State. And like I said, by the time you read this, there will likely be more changes announced. Granted, Chip Brown is no ordinary blogger, he worked for the Dallas Morning News for 10 years, but there was a lot of power in his words as he turned the rumor mill.

I’m reminded that our words have power, even if they are electronic rather than spoken. An encouraging word still has the power to encourage a reader. And a convicting scripture will still convict.

“Do not let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouths, but only what is helpful for building others up according to their needs, that it may benefit those who listen.” (Ephesians 4:29)

“As the rain and the snow
come down from heaven,
and do not return to it
without watering the earth
and making it bud and flourish,
so that it yields seed for the sower and bread for the eater,

so is my word that goes out from my mouth:
It will not return to me empty,
but will accomplish what I desire
and achieve the purpose for which I sent it.” (Isaiah 55:10-11)

So my questions to you Christian bloggers out there:

Who is your audience and what is the goal of your blog? (be sure to link your blog too!)

Blogging to the Choir?

Frank

I’m insecure about my blog traffic, I admit. Frequently I consider hanging it all up, logging off, and not returning. I can’t keep up with Twitter traffic, nor can I take the time to read every other Christian blog I’ve found that I’m interested in. And I know that successfully doing both would increase interest and traffic on my blog.

I also question the value. Is there anyone really listening? I’m a sports junkie and I see this on message boards as well. Someone will pontificate on a point about fan behavior, or attendance, or a blown call a ref made. For the most part, everyone agrees. In those forums, you’re essentially preaching to the choir. Christian blogging isn’t much different. It’s unlikely non-believers are reading my blog; though I suppose they could be, I know they don’t comment. Followers and commenters are like-minded. I read their blogs, they read mine, and we both nod our heads in agreement. Don’t get me wrong, I come away after reading about others’ convictions with new convictions of my own. And that’s the hope I have with this blog. But I wonder…

So what difference does this all make? Will I transform the church with my words? Will these thoughts lead anyone to Christ? Is this even the correct medium for this message? Of course there are others who have this nailed. They know how to increase traffic, know how to appropriately respond when traffic is down, and sincerely believe in the medium (and these were all just from Saturday!). But I’m not so easily convinced.

Then last week something strange happened. A blogger, with the power of the pen (or pixel), disrupted the plans for expansion of an NCAA Division-1 FBS (don’t ask) conference, called a bluff on a state legislature, and likely single-handedly changed the landscape of college football. And he’s not done. If you don’t follow college football and the BCS, I’m talking about Chip Brown and the drama that ensued last week as the Big 12 effectively dissolved, the PAC 10 added Colorado, and the Mountain West took a week to announce they were adding Boise State. And like I said, by the time you read this, there will likely be more changes announced. Granted, Chip Brown is no ordinary blogger, he worked for the Dallas Morning News for 10 years, but there was a lot of power in his words as he turned the rumor mill.

I’m reminded that our words have power, even if they are electronic rather than spoken. An encouraging word still has the power to encourage a reader. And a convicting scripture will still convict.

“Do not let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouths, but only what is helpful for building others up according to their needs, that it may benefit those who listen.” (Ephesians 4:29)

“As the rain and the snow
come down from heaven,
and do not return to it
without watering the earth
and making it bud and flourish,
so that it yields seed for the sower and bread for the eater,

so is my word that goes out from my mouth:
It will not return to me empty,
but will accomplish what I desire
and achieve the purpose for which I sent it.” (Isaiah 55:10-11)

So my questions to you Christian bloggers out there:

Who is your audience and what is the goal of your blog? (be sure to link your blog too!)

R12: Why is it so hard to surrender to God?

Frank

Surrender. Raise the white flag. Give up. Quit. Loser.

Surrender is a difficult concept to spiritually grasp. Our world-system paints the word in such a negative light that it is hard to find anything positive through it. But that is only because we don’t understand what surrender means. The last chapter talked about the sacrifice of our very will in order to realize God’s good, perfect and pleasing will. But sacrifice is only one aspect of holy surrender. Chapter two talks about another piece- risk versus reward.

Chip uses case studies from the book, Risk, Reason and the Decision Making Process. If you don’t have LOTE: The Book, don’t worry, Chip uses the same illustrations in his mp3 lesson. His case studies are basically modern versions of the parables Jesus gives in Matthew 13. Let’s look and reflect on these for a moment.

“The kingdom of heaven is like treasure hidden in a field. When a man found it, he hid it again, and then in his joy went and sold all he had and bought that field.

“Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a merchant looking for fine pearls. When he found one of great value, he went away and sold everything he had and bought it.” (Matthew 13:44-46)

Do you feel sorry for either of these people? After all, they had to sell everything they had to get the treasure they were looking for. In the second case, the person would end up with nothing other than a pearl. Sure, he could “flip” the pearl and earn great wealth, but what in the meantime? And it’s safe to assume he already had great wealth because he was a merchant of pearls. Can you imagine the conversation he must have had with his wife?

“Honey, you wouldn’t believe the pearl I found today!”

“That’s great dear.”

“But we can’t afford it with the money we have. So I sold the house, our livestock, and all the other pearls in my collection (even the ones I gave you for our anniversary).”

“You did what?!”

He would had to have been pretty bold to pull off such a move. The same goes for the first man. What if he returned and the treasure was gone? What if the owner of the field wouldn’t sell? In both cases, what if these men were wrong? What if the pearl was a fake? What if the treasure was really worthless? They had to conclude that the reward outweighed the risk.

Were these men lucky? Extra holy? In better with God than their neighbors? Not at all. Chip rightly points out in his book that these men were wise. This was a revelation for me. I never considered these parables in this light. Surrendering in such a way isn’t about holiness or piety, about luck or any special blessing. They knew what they found. They evaluated the reward, considered the risk, and acted in wisdom.

We are tempted to think that spiritual surrender is a standard for only the most holy, the most committed of our brothers and sisters in Christ. Maybe we believe it is only for pastors, priests, or ministers. We could also believe that such a level of commitment is impossible for us. But we only need to be wise. Consider the risk. What do we lose by following God whole-heartedly? Our own selfish desires, success as defined by the world, acceptance by friends and family? But what do we gain? “Every spiritual blessing.” (Ephesians 1:3) Our desires “satisfie[d]… with every good thing.” (Psalm 103:5) And of course a saving relationship with the Creator of the universe, the forgiveness of our sins, healing of the damage done, and even “treasures in heaven” (Matthew 6:20) where we have hope for eternal life.

So you need to ask yourself. Is the risk worth the reward? If so, surrender.

Think: What do you take away from this lesson?
Reflect: Is how I described surrender the same as you’ve come to understand it personally?
Understand: How does considering the above parables as actions of wisdom change your perspective on surrender?
Surrender: What do you risk by surrendering to God? List it out. Pray over it. Be honest with God about how you feel.
Take action: Write out the following definition (from the book) of total commitment on a 3×5 and read it every night before going to bed: “When I come to realize what God has done for me, who He is, and what He has prepared for me in this new life (that I cannot see), I eagerly abandon anything and everything to obtain this fabulous, rich, rewarding eternal life He is offering.”
Motivation: What would God need to do to convince you he has the best in store for your life? (Read Romans 8:32, Psalm 37:4)
Encourage someone: Call, text, email, tweet, etc the most committed Christian you know and thank them for their example.

Today continues our “virtual small group” covering the book Living On The Edge. For how this group is going to work, read this entry. For an introduction with disclaimers, click here. For some numbers from Barna to motivate you to continue reading, go here. For the R12 videos, click the R12 button on the sidebar to the right. Finally, as we move forward through the book you can always catch up by clicking the R12 label at the end of each post.

R12: Why is it so hard to surrender to God?

Frank

Surrender. Raise the white flag. Give up. Quit. Loser.

Surrender is a difficult concept to spiritually grasp. Our world-system paints the word in such a negative light that it is hard to find anything positive through it. But that is only because we don’t understand what surrender means. The last chapter talked about the sacrifice of our very will in order to realize God’s good, perfect and pleasing will. But sacrifice is only one aspect of holy surrender. Chapter two talks about another piece- risk versus reward.

Chip uses case studies from the book, Risk, Reason and the Decision Making Process. If you don’t have LOTE: The Book, don’t worry, Chip uses the same illustrations in his mp3 lesson. His case studies are basically modern versions of the parables Jesus gives in Matthew 13. Let’s look and reflect on these for a moment.

“The kingdom of heaven is like treasure hidden in a field. When a man found it, he hid it again, and then in his joy went and sold all he had and bought that field.

“Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a merchant looking for fine pearls. When he found one of great value, he went away and sold everything he had and bought it.” (Matthew 13:44-46)

Do you feel sorry for either of these people? After all, they had to sell everything they had to get the treasure they were looking for. In the second case, the person would end up with nothing other than a pearl. Sure, he could “flip” the pearl and earn great wealth, but what in the meantime? And it’s safe to assume he already had great wealth because he was a merchant of pearls. Can you imagine the conversation he must have had with his wife?

“Honey, you wouldn’t believe the pearl I found today!”

“That’s great dear.”

“But we can’t afford it with the money we have. So I sold the house, our livestock, and all the other pearls in my collection (even the ones I gave you for our anniversary).”

“You did what?!”

He would had to have been pretty bold to pull off such a move. The same goes for the first man. What if he returned and the treasure was gone? What if the owner of the field wouldn’t sell? In both cases, what if these men were wrong? What if the pearl was a fake? What if the treasure was really worthless? They had to conclude that the reward outweighed the risk.

Were these men lucky? Extra holy? In better with God than their neighbors? Not at all. Chip rightly points out in his book that these men were wise. This was a revelation for me. I never considered these parables in this light. Surrendering in such a way isn’t about holiness or piety, about luck or any special blessing. They knew what they found. They evaluated the reward, considered the risk, and acted in wisdom.

We are tempted to think that spiritual surrender is a standard for only the most holy, the most committed of our brothers and sisters in Christ. Maybe we believe it is only for pastors, priests, or ministers. We could also believe that such a level of commitment is impossible for us. But we only need to be wise. Consider the risk. What do we lose by following God whole-heartedly? Our own selfish desires, success as defined by the world, acceptance by friends and family? But what do we gain? “Every spiritual blessing.” (Ephesians 1:3) Our desires “satisfie[d]… with every good thing.” (Psalm 103:5) And of course a saving relationship with the Creator of the universe, the forgiveness of our sins, healing of the damage done, and even “treasures in heaven” (Matthew 6:20) where we have hope for eternal life.

So you need to ask yourself. Is the risk worth the reward? If so, surrender.

Think: What do you take away from this lesson?
Reflect: Is how I described surrender the same as you’ve come to understand it personally?
Understand: How does considering the above parables as actions of wisdom change your perspective on surrender?
Surrender: What do you risk by surrendering to God? List it out. Pray over it. Be honest with God about how you feel.
Take action: Write out the following definition (from the book) of total commitment on a 3×5 and read it every night before going to bed: “When I come to realize what God has done for me, who He is, and what He has prepared for me in this new life (that I cannot see), I eagerly abandon anything and everything to obtain this fabulous, rich, rewarding eternal life He is offering.”
Motivation: What would God need to do to convince you he has the best in store for your life? (Read Romans 8:32, Psalm 37:4)
Encourage someone: Call, text, email, tweet, etc the most committed Christian you know and thank them for their example.

Today continues our “virtual small group” covering the book Living On The Edge. For how this group is going to work, read this entry. For an introduction with disclaimers, click here. For some numbers from Barna to motivate you to continue reading, go here. For the R12 videos, click the R12 button on the sidebar to the right. Finally, as we move forward through the book you can always catch up by clicking the R12 label at the end of each post.

Every Nation

Frank

Last Sunday our evangelist showed this video of a soccer crowd in Turkey. A massive sea of people all chanting and swaying in unison. The illustration was for the question, what kind of fan are you? (appropriate for Super Bowl Sunday) But I couldn’t stop thinking about how the writer of Hebrews describes the heroes of faith as a “cloud of witnesses” (Hebrews 12:1). I imagine this is what Elisha’s servant saw when he was surrounded by “chariots of fire” (2 Kings 6:17). Now imagine playing a match with such a crowd? Encouraging if you’re the home team, but indescribably intimidating for the visitor.

Tonight is the Opening Ceremonies for the 2010 Winter Olympics. I am psyched to have the Olympics in the same time zone! I’m not a fan of any particular sport, and I couldn’t tell you any stars to watch (I’m more a Summer guy). But I love the pageantry, the patriotism, the pride. These athletes aren’t just representing themselves, but their entire nation.

We are therefore Christ’s ambassadors, as though God were making his appeal through us. (2 Corinthians 5:20)

One of my favorite parts of either Olympics is the parade of nations. Seeing everyone united, dressed in such a way to identify their home, waving flags and waving at fans, always gives me chills. This moment reminds me just how big this world is, seeing the racial and cultural diversity and hearing the multiple languages spoken. At the same time, I see how small our world is, as each athlete has something in common with another, and they are all gathered in one place for the entire world to witness. At the opening ceremonies, the competitors enter with their countries, but at the closing ceremonies you see these same competitors mingling with their rivals, exchanging hugs and tears, pins and photos.

“Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.” (Matthew 28:19-20)

There is neither Jew nor Greek, slave nor free, male nor female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus. (Galatians 3:28)

But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people belonging to God, that you may declare the praises of him who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light. (1 Peter 2:9)

The Church on Earth is not limited by language or political borders. It is not held back by the global economy, war, or famine. We have no rival that God cannot overcome. We are under one Lord, and united in one holy nation. This world is both big and intimidating while small and taken for granted. But look around. See the crowds surrounding you, cheering you to victory in Christ Jesus.

Every Nation

Frank

Last Sunday our evangelist showed this video of a soccer crowd in Turkey. A massive sea of people all chanting and swaying in unison. The illustration was for the question, what kind of fan are you? (appropriate for Super Bowl Sunday) But I couldn’t stop thinking about how the writer of Hebrews describes the heroes of faith as a “cloud of witnesses” (Hebrews 12:1). I imagine this is what Elisha’s servant saw when he was surrounded by “chariots of fire” (2 Kings 6:17). Now imagine playing a match with such a crowd? Encouraging if you’re the home team, but indescribably intimidating for the visitor.

Tonight is the Opening Ceremonies for the 2010 Winter Olympics. I am psyched to have the Olympics in the same time zone! I’m not a fan of any particular sport, and I couldn’t tell you any stars to watch (I’m more a Summer guy). But I love the pageantry, the patriotism, the pride. These athletes aren’t just representing themselves, but their entire nation.

We are therefore Christ’s ambassadors, as though God were making his appeal through us. (2 Corinthians 5:20)

One of my favorite parts of either Olympics is the parade of nations. Seeing everyone united, dressed in such a way to identify their home, waving flags and waving at fans, always gives me chills. This moment reminds me just how big this world is, seeing the racial and cultural diversity and hearing the multiple languages spoken. At the same time, I see how small our world is, as each athlete has something in common with another, and they are all gathered in one place for the entire world to witness. At the opening ceremonies, the competitors enter with their countries, but at the closing ceremonies you see these same competitors mingling with their rivals, exchanging hugs and tears, pins and photos.

“Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.” (Matthew 28:19-20)

There is neither Jew nor Greek, slave nor free, male nor female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus. (Galatians 3:28)

But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people belonging to God, that you may declare the praises of him who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light. (1 Peter 2:9)

The Church on Earth is not limited by language or political borders. It is not held back by the global economy, war, or famine. We have no rival that God cannot overcome. We are under one Lord, and united in one holy nation. This world is both big and intimidating while small and taken for granted. But look around. See the crowds surrounding you, cheering you to victory in Christ Jesus.

Grief… and Hope

Frank

I’ve written before regarding the tragic loss of Steven Curtis Chapman’s daughter. Here’s a recent article on how he’s been doing since, and on his most recent album.

This is an area where I cannot relate. I lost my dad before my 21st birthday and have lost grandparents, aunts and uncles, but never anyone so “premature” as a sibling or a child. Yet I am still moved to tears when I read or hear about parents having to bury one of their own children.

Recently a brother was out visiting our church. He used to live here, but moved away before I moved in. But he kept in regular contact with the congregation, so we were all up to speed on the goings on of his life. Specifically, he shared about the health of his daughter. Regrettably, I don’t remember all the specifics, but she was diagnosed with a rare condition that gave her an expected life span of less than five years. I’ve lived here for nine years, so she made it to at least 8. He shared with us about his daughter’s joy despite her affliction, about the times they treasured together as a family not knowing if it would be their last. And as he fought back tears, he shared how he held her as she took her last breath earlier this year.

I cannot imagine. Tears well up watching Finding Nemo when I think about losing my son and not knowing where he is or how he is doing. The fear of not knowing is what breaks my heart most. But this brother shared that he found encouragement in knowing where his daughter was and how she was doing. It feels like a cliché, “they’re with Jesus in heaven,” and it almost sounds too good to be true. But we have reason for such faith:

But if it is preached that Christ has been raised from the dead, how can some of you say that there is no resurrection of the dead? If there is no resurrection of the dead, then not even Christ has been raised. And if Christ has not been raised, our preaching is useless and so is your faith. More than that, we are then found to be false witnesses about God, for we have testified about God that he raised Christ from the dead. But he did not raise him if in fact the dead are not raised. For if the dead are not raised, then Christ has not been raised either. And if Christ has not been raised, your faith is futile; you are still in your sins. Then those also who have fallen asleep in Christ are lost. If only for this life we have hope in Christ, we are to be pitied more than all men. (1 Corinthians 15:12-19)

If the empty tomb is a lie, a cliché, too good to be true, then we should be pitied above anyone. Our faith is useless and our lives meaningless. So the resurrection of Christ is what we need to turn to in time of grief.

Oh, the name of this brother’s daughter, chosen before she was even born?
Hope.

Grief… and Hope

Frank

I’ve written before regarding the tragic loss of Steven Curtis Chapman’s daughter. Here’s a recent article on how he’s been doing since, and on his most recent album.

This is an area where I cannot relate. I lost my dad before my 21st birthday and have lost grandparents, aunts and uncles, but never anyone so “premature” as a sibling or a child. Yet I am still moved to tears when I read or hear about parents having to bury one of their own children.

Recently a brother was out visiting our church. He used to live here, but moved away before I moved in. But he kept in regular contact with the congregation, so we were all up to speed on the goings on of his life. Specifically, he shared about the health of his daughter. Regrettably, I don’t remember all the specifics, but she was diagnosed with a rare condition that gave her an expected life span of less than five years. I’ve lived here for nine years, so she made it to at least 8. He shared with us about his daughter’s joy despite her affliction, about the times they treasured together as a family not knowing if it would be their last. And as he fought back tears, he shared how he held her as she took her last breath earlier this year.

I cannot imagine. Tears well up watching Finding Nemo when I think about losing my son and not knowing where he is or how he is doing. The fear of not knowing is what breaks my heart most. But this brother shared that he found encouragement in knowing where his daughter was and how she was doing. It feels like a cliché, “they’re with Jesus in heaven,” and it almost sounds too good to be true. But we have reason for such faith:

But if it is preached that Christ has been raised from the dead, how can some of you say that there is no resurrection of the dead? If there is no resurrection of the dead, then not even Christ has been raised. And if Christ has not been raised, our preaching is useless and so is your faith. More than that, we are then found to be false witnesses about God, for we have testified about God that he raised Christ from the dead. But he did not raise him if in fact the dead are not raised. For if the dead are not raised, then Christ has not been raised either. And if Christ has not been raised, your faith is futile; you are still in your sins. Then those also who have fallen asleep in Christ are lost. If only for this life we have hope in Christ, we are to be pitied more than all men. (1 Corinthians 15:12-19)

If the empty tomb is a lie, a cliché, too good to be true, then we should be pitied above anyone. Our faith is useless and our lives meaningless. So the resurrection of Christ is what we need to turn to in time of grief.

Oh, the name of this brother’s daughter, chosen before she was even born?
Hope.