Father's Day is June 15. Encourage the men in your church-from singles to senior adults-with a gift of Don Whitney's book or CD on Family Worship.A Discussion Guide is included in this 64-page book. Generous discounts are available for bulk purchases. Click here for more information or to order.
An enhanced audio CD of Don's book Family Worship is available now. Click here to read more or to order. Read endorsements of this book.

The Center for Biblical Spirituality
presents a
National Conference with Donald S. Whitney

Biblical Spiritual Disciplines for Real People, PART 2

This is the second part of the popular conference on personal spiritual disciplines that Don has held in local churches across America. In this conference he reviews and summarizes the teaching from Part 1 on the foundational disciplines of prayer and meditation on Scripture. Then he leads the attendees on a study of the biblical basis and benefits of such disciplines as silence and solitude, fasting, and journaling. It is not necessary to have attended Part 1 to attend this conference.

Click here to register for this two-day, weekend conference to be held October 10-11 at the beautiful Legacy Center on the campus of The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary in Louisville, Kentucky. Or go to the Center for Biblical Spirituality website for more information.

Students considering Boyce College or Southern Seminary can receive complimentary lodging at the Legacy Center and receive a campus tour. Bring a group from your school!

Don greatly enjoyed both the teaching and the fellowship at the Together for the Gospel conference in Louisville in April. Put the next one—April 13-15, 2010—on your calendar. The semester is winding down for Don and his teaching responsibilities at Southern Seminary. Next week is commencement. Did you know Southern now offers a Doctor of Ministry degree in Biblical Spirituality? For more information, contact the D.Min. office at 800-626-5525 x4113 or by email at dmin@sbts.edu.

Caffy's focus lately has all been outdoors. More on that in the Farm & Garden Report below. Beyond that, she's been working on a dress for Laurelen to wear at her upcoming recital.

Laurelen's photo was taken on a bright Sunday morning in late March when the pear trees were exploding with blooms. She continues working with other young people at church to produce a brief apologetics newspaper and blog targeting other teens. Two of the youth distributing the first issue of the paper in their public school were surrounded by two dozen teenagers who ripped the paper to shreds and threw it back at them. They courageously and joyously accepted the ridicule, and their attitude earned a better response the next time. Laurelen is also working with almost thirty youth and adults from the church to prepare for a mission trip to Brazil in July. A lot of her time at present is devoted to practicing for a vocal recital to be held at the Southern Seminary music building on May 11 in which she and another girl are to sing seven songs each.

Spring came late to central Kentucky. The cold and wet of winter seemed interminable. We had hoped to turn the cover crop of buckwheat in the garden under in February, but it was not until April before it was dry enough. When the trees finally popped, they exploded. The redbuds were spectacular. We noticed them in places we'd not seen them before. It seemed as though there were three times as many as in previous years. They are gone now, but the dogwoods are glorious. The whippoorwill returned to its nest across the road and started serenading us on Saturday night, April 26. While on a prayer walk today, I could smell from a hundred yards away the lilac bush that's outside our bedroom window.

Caffy's bees are happily buzzing about their business. She bought two more colonies, hoping to have four this year. But last week she had to combine the two colonies she had from last year. A friend called earlier this week and said there was a swarm of bees outside the school where she works. Caffy put on her bee suit and went to catch them, but they were gone by the time she arrived. Some poor, orphan bees somewhere don't know that they missed a great chance to get adopted.

Caffy has been wanting a weeping cherry tree, so I got her one for an early birthday present (since mid-May would have been too late to plant) and we put it in the front yard last week. She's also invested a few hours getting the garden ready for a big round of planting coming up soon. She's already planted the lavender we're experimenting with (eight plants; four varieties) and the strawberries. The tomato plants are now in the garage, anxious to get their little feet dirty too.

Don's blueberry bushes are looking great! They all put on tiny white flowers in late April and appear to be taking the fertilizer well (they are very sensitive to it, you know). The raspberries and blackberries may all be in the ground by the time you read this.

Please ask the Lord for His blessing on our family's growth together in grace. Ask His blessing upon our reading of the Psalms in family worship.

Second, entreat the Lord to bless the review of A New Earth at the top of this newsletter. A similar review last year on The Secret has been the most frequently read piece on the website by far. I continue to receive both appreciation and hate mail about it on a regular basis. Because of the popularity of A New Earth, this review might have a wide readership as well. Pray that the Lord will use the piece to draw people to Himself as well as protect people from deception.

Third, continue to pray for the major writing project about which I have often requested prayer, but still haven't been able to complete.

And as always, please ask the Lord for His blessing upon my teaching at Southern and upon the ministry I discharge in my travels.