Letter Archives - Kristina Lunde

August 30, 2023 by Kristina Lunde Leave a Comment

Eve: My Sin and God’s Mercy

Painted by Henry Styleman LeStrange, 1858, on the Nave Ceiling, Ely Cathedral in Cambridgeshire, England. Image by Reissaamme from Pixabay

Dear Modern Mama,
Even if you don’t spend much time in the Bible, you’ve probably heard of me. I’m Eve, the first woman on earth, the mother of all mothers. Perhaps you have heard of the beautiful garden where my husband Adam and I made our first home. Newlyweds with a great place to live—rent-free, an in-person relationship with our Lord God, and the most incredible flowers you have ever seen. I could go on and on about the incredible flora and fauna, but it all changed suddenly and dramatically, which is what I want to talk about.

Have you ever sinned? I learned about sin by experience—sadly, I’m one of the original experts on it. I define sin as anything I think, say, or do that disobeys God. Have you thought, spoken, or acted against God and then felt guilty? What made you realize that you sinned against God? Perhaps the Holy Spirit convicted you. That can be tough, but imagine God’s conviction given in-person! Very scary, which is why my husband Adam and I initially hid from God. When God asked Adam directly if he had eaten from the tree that God commanded us not to, we knew we were caught in our sin. Guilty. Both of us. The blaming followed: Adam blamed me and I blamed the serpent. My advice? Don’t try the “he said/she said” argument in front of our all-knowing God. I don’t recommend it.

After that confrontation, the more that Adam and I recognized our sins, the more we felt guilty. Our Creator God loved and provided for us. The one thing He warned us about is what I disobeyed. How could I turn my back on my loving Lord God to believe that lying serpent? That serpent did nothing but deceive me! In contrast, God had created, provided for, and loved me personally and unconditionally. What was I thinking?! I turned my back on all of that to believe a lie. And I acted in disobedience. And then, I talked my husband into doing the same.

Caught. Found guilty. Punished. Both Adam and I had to live out the consequences of our sins. We shifted from the purity of God’s creation to covering our guilty shameful selves with leaves. God drove us away from His presence. From an easy life as caretakers of God’s beautiful garden with readily available food, we were forced out—to a life of hard work. As sinful beings, we could no longer stay in the garden with our holy Lord God. That’s when my terror of snakes started. (And, Modern Mama, I’m sorry about that childbirth pain! Please know that I experienced the same curse—that nasty labor pain—because my firstborn Cain was born outside the garden.)

Yes, we once had it all: time with God in-person and a care-free, purposeful life. Our sins interrupted everything and shut us out of God’s presence. But God was merciful and did not punish us with immediate death as our sins deserved. (He even made garments for us out of animal skins!) In the middle of the consequences given for our sins, God gave the first promise of His Messiah. That gave us hope. Although no longer present in-person, God remained a significant part of our lives. Through backbreaking labor (both in farming and childbirth), parenting, dealing with our kids’ sibling rivalry, and other challenges, we always kept the hope of God’s promise. We knew there was a better place, because we had seen and experienced it.

Modern Mama, you have God’s promises in writing. As you may have read, I committed awful sins, but I also experienced God’s mercy. He didn’t kill me for my sins, even though I truly deserved death as a consequence. We all do! But God sent His son—in-person—to sacrifice for all of our sins. Take it from me, God is merciful and and He offers forgiveness. Please don’t give up hope. Read your Bible for the whole story.

And remind me to tell you about that beautiful garden . . .
Eve

April 8, 2023 by Kristina Lunde Leave a Comment

Naomi: From Bitterness to Loving Others

Dear Modern Mama,

My parenting advice does not relate to everyday family activities or raising kids. Our family of four dealt with famine, moved to another country, and then my life collapsed. You might not want to listen to a widowed grieving mother, but give me the chance to speak of the love and provision of our amazing God, Elohim, and how He taught me to love others.

My husband Elimelech took our family from Bethlehem to Moab, so that we could escape the famine. In that pagan country, both of our sons Mahlon and Kilion grew up and married local women. First, my dear Elimelech died. Then, my sons also died. Such tragedy! I focused only on my losses, the deaths of my husband and sons. I became bitter against Elohim. How could God take my husband and then my two sons?! I had no sons to support me and no grandchildren to carry on our family line.

At first, consumed by grief and bitterness, I refused to consider anything but my tragedy. I did not appreciate Elohim’s blessing of two incredible daughters-in-law, Ruth and Orpah. God placed these sweet women in my life to love, but my grief blinded me from experiencing that comfort. In my culture, a widowed daughter-in-law would marry one of my other sons. But I had nothing to offer: no more sons, no household, and no money.

Destitute and again facing the threat of starvation, I decided to return to Bethlehem. Both Ruth and Orpah insisted on accompanying me. At the start of the trip, I excused both women from any obligation to me. We professed our love to each other in a sobfest on the road. Orpah took my advice and returned to her family, but Ruth vowed to stay with me.

Ruth’s growing faith ministered to me. Just imagine: this young girl, who came to know Elohim through our family, now encouraged me! As Ruth learned about God and drew close to Him, she motivated me to do the same. Ruth became like my own daughter to me. (Read it for yourself in the book of the Bible named after my dear daughter-in-law Ruth.) The psalmist best summarizes our story, “God sets the lonely in families” (Psalm 68:6a). Elohim gave us hope and a future by placing Ruth in the line of the Messiah!

My advice to you is love the ones God gives you to love. Of course, that includes primarily your husband and children. But also recognize that God places other people in your life to be loved.

If you have experienced tragedy, do not become bitter over what you have lost. Open your heart to the others in your life. Share God with them. Pour God’s love into them. Do not be surprised when God chooses to work through all of you, like he did for me and Ruth.

Love to you from King David’s Great-great Grandmother,
Naomi

March 28, 2023 by Kristina Lunde Leave a Comment

Rebekah’s Advice: Avoid Favoritism

Dear Modern Mama,
Long ago, before any children or favoritism, I moved from far away to marry my husband Isaac. My father-in-law Abraham sent his servant back to their country of origin and that’s where he found me. All I did was offer a drink of water to a weary traveler and his camels, but that hospitality answered a specific prayer of Abraham’s servant. (Check out Genesis 24 for details of God’s miracle.)

Although Isaac and I loved each other, I did not get pregnant after almost twenty years of marriage. They called me barren, but Isaac prayed for me to conceive and God answered Isaac’s prayer. God answered with a two-for-one miracle, but the pregnancy felt awful. Like a war between twins in my belly! I wanted to die. Didn’t think I could take it much longer, so I asked the Lord about it.

When the Lord confirmed the conflict inside of me, He said it would extend throughout my twins’ lives. Two babies, two nations, two peoples. They would be divided, with one stronger than the other and the elder serving the younger. Isaac and I didn’t really understand the entire prophecy, but it made sense later as we raised our boys.

From birth on, the boys were opposites. Our oldest, Esau, had red hair on a hairy body. He loved the outdoors and developed good hunting skills. As a tough hunter, Esau became Isaac’s favorite. They loved to eat wild game and talk about hunting. My Jacob had a quieter nature and liked to stay home. I loved having him around the tent to keep me company; you could say I favored him.

Esau and Jacob fought a lot, mostly because they were so different. Once Esau came in hungry after a long day outside and demanded some of the stew Jacob had cooked over the fire. (Did I mention that my Jacob was a great cook?!) Jacob insisted that Esau sell his birthright in exchange for the stew. In desperation, Esau traded his privileges as the oldest son for Jacob’s bread and lentil stew. Not a fair trade, but no one could change the outcome of their decisions.

Other battles followed. My favoritism toward Jacob progressed to a desperate desire to get the birthright blessings for him. I sinned against God and my family as I lowered myself to lie, cheat, and even betray my husband. I am ashamed of the treachery that I encouraged in Jacob when my dear Isaac lay on his deathbed. (Genesis 27 tells the full story.) Our sins only worsened the family conflicts, sibling rivalry, and long-term consequences.

My advice to you, modern mama, is to avoid favoritism. Recognize your child’s unique nature as a gift from God. Our Creator God gives children different skills, character traits, and interests. Do not let that determine how much you love your child or what you will do for him. Take it from me, the consequences of favoritism and deceitful maneuvering to get advantages for your child will only cause heartache—for a long time! I learned that lesson the hard way.

Trust my advice: the best way to parent your children is to follow God’s way and love all of your children wholeheartedly.

Shalom, in your relationship with God and also in your parenting.
Rebekah

January 30, 2023 by Kristina Lunde Leave a Comment

Gomer’s Lessons: Love God and Love Your Husband

Dear Modern Mama,
Not sure why I got asked to give advice. My life lesson sounds simple: love God and love your husband. But I learned it in painful and difficult ways. Let me tell the story.

Elohim, the one and only God, asked Hosea to take a prostitute for a wife. Can you imagine? A prophet of God sent to pick a prostitute for a wife! Pick any woman. No divinely selected woman. No promised blessing on the woman or the marriage. The prophet Hosea faithfully followed God’s direction, purposefully choosing a wife with a bad reputation. Hosea’s difficult marriage became an object lesson, played out publicly to teach all of Israel.

I know, because I am that whore, chosen out of my life of sin and debauchery. For Israelites, sexual sin outside of God’s design of marriage carried a penalty of death by stoning. But in the idol-worshipping society of my day, Israel tolerated all kinds of sexual sin: temple prostitutes, prostitute daughters, adulterous daughters-in-law, and men who indulged in all of that. As a wayward and rebellious woman, I indulged in that sinful culture, too. I earned a good living by selling myself. My male customers paid me generously in bread, water, wool, flax, oil, drink—even silver and gold.

I did not know God when I met my husband Hosea. Back then, I didn’t want to meet God or some strange guy who thought he should be my husband. In my depraved lifestyle, I enjoyed earning money by fulfilling men’s sin-addicted thoughts. You can imagine how uncomfortable Hosea felt coming to where I worked. He looked so out of place, until he saw me and chose me. The idea of marriage came from Hosea, not me. At the time, I didn’t want to get married or have children. Somehow, I agreed to Hosea’s plan.

We had kids right away. Hosea insisted on naming our kids, with names he said God gave him. Fine with me, I didn’t care about the kids at first. I didn’t know how to parent children. I didn’t want to be a mother; kids just interrupted my work. Hosea named our first boy Jezreel, same as the valley city where King Jehu massacred the house of Ahab. With our daughter, Hosea said God wanted her name to be Lo-ruhamah, or “not loved.” Hosea called our next son Lo-ammi, which means “not my people.” I figured Hosea and God tried to shame me with that one, because, with my extramarital activities, how could I ever know who was the father?!

Even stranger, Hosea later renamed our younger kids. He took the “Lo” part off, calling them Ruhamah, or “loved,” and Ammi, “my people.” Later, I ran out on Hosea, so I didn’t understand these things until I went back to my family.

According to Hosea, God came up with the plan, the one thing Hosea did that I most love him for. After all my sinful betrayals, would you believe Hosea came to the slave block to buy me back? Not that anyone else cared to bid. But it got a lot of attention—everyone in town knew about our sham marriage and how I lived. I deserved nothing, but my dear Hosea bought me back and took me home.

Hosea taught me about true love, and more importantly, about God’s love. Just like God does for us, Hosea demonstrated unconditional love for me, an unworthy sinner. Our story became an object lesson of God’s mercy and forgiveness for all Israel. Not just a lesson for that time, but an enduring human parallel of God’s love and redemption. (Read it for yourself in my husband’s book.)

My Hosea is my hero. So many times I betrayed Hosea’s love and brought him nothing but shame. Yet he never stopped loving me. He bought me back from slavery when no one else would look at me. I know now that God chose to redeem me through Hosea’s love. My dear Hosea taught me how to love and obey Elohim. I am so grateful for my Elohim who gave me a chance.

Elohim, my one and only God.
Me, the sinner and whore.
Hosea, my beloved husband and redeemer.
My advice to you: love God and love your husband.

Love to you,
Gomer, late to learn about love, but grateful to be redeemed and restored

October 1, 2017 by Kristina Lunde Leave a Comment

Aunt Madelyn – Aging Advice from a Spunky 97 Year Old

Dear Aunt Madelyn,

We enjoyed visiting you last weekend at the rehab facility. I hope that your hip heals quickly and that you will be back to living in your own home soon. Thank you for sharing your spunk and perseverance, because you inspire me.

“What is my purpose?” you asked. That is a question I have wrestled with myself. What is God’s role for us on this earth? At times that is obvious, like taking care of our children or doing the task at hand to help someone. At other times, we struggle to understand the what and why of our existence. I think that sometimes God asks us to be obedient, even though we don’t understand the purpose or outcome.

Thank you for the many ways you gave us joy and meaning during our visit. Do you realize that you are the family historian, as the only living member of your generation? The story you shared about your nephew Craig’s adorable mispronunciation as a young child, which brought nostalgic memories for your nephews Craig and his brother Bruce. That story and the other memories you shared were a precious gift, enabling them to remember their grandparents, parents and childhood.

The recipe information you gave Bruce’s wife Gail answered several questions she had about family and holiday recipes. The details you described were very helpful, and your sharp memory is much appreciated.

“There’s the lady with the beautiful voice!” announced one of the facility’s volunteers who stopped by to see you. She spoke of how she enjoyed hearing you sing at church. Your response was apologetic, saying you had to give up choir at age 90, when your voice wasn’t as good as it used to be. What a talent that you could sing in church choir until 90 – and that you still sing with the congregation.

“I’m ready to go,” you commented. Your peace with God came across in the conversations the five of us shared. You expressed no fear about leaving this earth. Instead, your reliance on God is obvious, and your faith-based outlook is a great role model. The flower baskets and many cards, propped up on every available surface of your room, were evidence of many relationships with people who love you – and probably are not ready to see you go.

Thanks again, Aunt Madelyn, for visiting with us and spending time teaching us. You motivated me to find meaning in the life God gave me, use my talents to serve God, and trust God for His timing on the length of my life.

Happy 98th Birthday next month, dear Aunt Madelyn!