Andy Naselli

Thoughts on Theology

Jenni Naselli

Home Fires Podcast with Abigail Dodds and Jenni Naselli

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My wife is joining Abigail Dodds for the next season of the “Home Fires” podcast.

The first episode is “Introducing Jenni Naselli.” Here’s the podcast description:

With Tilly away caring for a new baby, homeschooling littles, working behind the scenes for a new coffee shop endeavor, and generally tending her actual home fires, Jenni Naselli graciously joins Abigail and agrees to be put in the hot seat for an interview. Jenni shares how she came to trust Christ as well as the story of how she met and married her husband, Andy. Get ready to absorb some helpful wisdom as you hear how Jenni’s parents carefully and tenderly shepherded her through her young adult years. We don’t have to do exactly as Jenni’s parents did, but we can learn so much from the godly principles they exhibit.

I hope it encourages you.

Katie Luther: A Biographical Sketch by Jenni Naselli

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My wife gave a delightful 27-minute biographical sketch of Martin Luther’s wife, Katie, at the Godward Life Conference a month ago:

This was part of a session titled “Womanhood: Lost and Found.”

Unnatural Birth and the Sovereignty of God

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My wife, Jenni, has encountered well-meaning Christian women evangelizing for all-natural births in a way that can make other women feel inferior and less of a real woman if they have an un-natural birth (e.g., an epidural in a hospital or a C-section). She’s had to counsel some women who had C-sections and consequently felt depressed and dejected that they didn’t have natural births instead.

After seeing Jenni counsel ladies like that several times, I encouraged her to write a short article on the issue. DG just published her wise perspective: “Better Than a Birth Plan.”

Update on 3/10/2016: The feedback that Jenni has received on her article has been overwhelmingly positive, but I have seen a few negative comments that misunderstand Jenni’s intent. Her target audience is primarily two people:

  1. women who feel inferior because they did not have an all-natural birth
  2. women who (intentionally or unintentionally) make women feel inferior for not having (or planning to have) an all-natural birth

As she says in her article, Jenni is not against all-natural births. There is nothing inherently wrong with planning to have a natural birth. If that’s what you think is best in your situation, then go for it. Have an all-natural birth to the glory of God!

 

Gospel Meditations for Women

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By Jenni Naselli

Andy recently gave me Gospel Meditations for Women by Chris Anderson and Joe Tyrpak. I’m enjoying and being edified by it. It’s not fluffy.

The thirty-two-page booklet is broken into thirty-one days of specific Scripture-readings with a corresponding gospel-meditation. It applies the gospel, for example, to relationships (“The Gospel Crushes Relational Conflict”) and trials (“Jesus’ Crucifixion and My Trials”). The topics range from theology (e.g., sanctification, inspiration, Christ’s substitutionary death) to specific applications for women (e.g., modesty, singleness, romance, motherhood, older women mentors). I especially appreciate the little nuggets of application at the bottom of each page, which sum up the meditations. This morning I read, “Let the Gospel affect your relationships.” Very good. I need this.

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Theology for Kids

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The latest issue of Themelios includes the following review article that my wife and I coauthored:

Andrew David Naselli and Jennifer J. Naselli. “Theology for Kids: Recommending Some Recent Books for Younger Children.” [Also available in HTML.] Themelios 33:3 (2008): 120–25.

Excerpt:

Without pretending to be experts on theological children’s literature, we have sorted through recent theology books for younger children and compiled a short list of outstanding books. Other books are undoubtedly worthy of mention, but these are our favorites. What follows organizes them in three categories and ranks the books in order, beginning with our top recommendations.

Bible Story Books

Other Story Books

Systematic Theology Books

Jenni Naselli Reviews “The Gospel of Ruth”

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The fall 2008 issue of the Journal for Biblical Manhood and Womanhood is now available, and five of the articles or reviews are available online now. One of the reviews available now is written by my wife:

Jennifer J. Naselli, “Is This Good News for Women? A Review of Carolyn Custis James, The Gospel of Ruth.” Journal for Biblical Manhood and Womanhood 13.2 (2008): 79–81.

She wrote this review in June during a small window of time right after she completed four years of full-time teaching and then gave birth to our first child. No doubt I am biased, but I must say that the (controversial) review is well done!

Childlike Faith About Heaven

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Last Thursday evening one of my wife‘s pre-K4 students was tragically killed. On Monday morning Jenni had to inform her students that their little friend would not be coming back to school. Here’s a lightly edited excerpt from a moving letter she sent to parents Monday afternoon.

I just wanted to give you a quick update on this morning and how gracious God was to us and to the children as we discussed KC’s loss.

[Read more…] about Childlike Faith About Heaven