The Bettelli Buzz Vol. 8 Feb. 23, 2016: My Better half

Another week goes by in Colorado Springs...however this past week my wife, Louise, came to visit me. I can't tell you how excited I was last week waiting for Thursday to come, when I knew I'd be driving up to Denver International Airport to pick her up. She planned to stay the weekend with me.

I actually drove up to DIA a little early because I was so excited. God was certainly going before me, because before I left for the airport, a good friend advised me to take an alternate route. Later another friend called me and asked if I had made it to the airport. I responded that I was fine and made it early. They then began to explain that they saw on the news that because of the turbulent winds, the IKEA sign had fallen on the interstate blocking traffic both North and South.

It's amazing to me how God goes before us, even in the little things. This wasn't anything huge, but it was important to me, and I am thankful that God gives grace to us even when we don't really need it.

Louise finally got to take a tour of Focus on the Family. I made sure she got the VIP tour, complete with a walk through Adventures in Odyssey. In the picture below, Louise is in the AO studio about to record a new episode. :) (she didn't know I took this picture)

We spent the weekend enjoying some fun dinners with friends and family. On Saturday night, we got to have dinner with Uncle Mike and Aunt Darlene on Louise' side. Louise hadn't seen them in over 10 years.

Let me take a minute and just talk about how special my wife is to me. What she is doing as a wife and a mother is amazing. She takes care of my children every day. She maintains our house and keeps it in order without my help. She encourages me every night on the phone and makes me feel loved from 1800 miles away. You can think you know what love is, but I can tell you that you don't till you see it displayed in real life. Love =sacrifice, and my wife defines this with her life every day, so that I can have the job of my dreams.

But...

Not only does she show me love through her sacrifice, but she takes an interest in every little part of my day. Now, normally this really annoys me. I have asked myself in the past, "why is my wife so nosy." "Why does she want me to tell her every little part of my day?" "Does she not trust me or something?" After 10 years of marriage, and a month of living in Colorado on my own without her, I have realized that its none of that. She wants to know about my life because she is genuinely interested in me. She gets it! Guys, if you are honest with yourself, you realize at some point that what you do, is a big part of who you are. Your wife is interested in what you do, because she is interested in YOU, dummy!

When she left to go back to Florida on Sunday, I really began to miss her. When you are in the stage of life that we are in, you begin to take for granted the love you have for each other. You don't do this on purpose, it just happens because your day is filled with dirty diapers, wiping butts, and feeding little mouths. You are in "survivor" mode. I don't like to say, as some might say, that our marriage was suffering because it wasn't and it isn't because our marriage doesn't exist in the third person, our marriage is a covenant...it's not based on feelings, it's based on promise.

But, I missed her because she is apart of me. She is my better half. The Bible says that when a man and a woman enter into a marriage covenant, "the two become one flesh." (Mark 10:8) This is why every night I can't stop thinking about her, and why I can't wait to see her. This is why when people ask me about being apart, emotions begin to stir. Now, I'm not saying she completes me, but I am saying that Christ, in his sovereign plan, chose to make her a very real part of me.

Louise, I love you so much. I already miss you. I can't wait to see in one week and three days.

Proverbs 18:22, "He who find a wife finds a good thing and obtains favor from the Lord."

Here is your book buzz:

Augustine on the Christian Life by Gerald Bray $3.99
Bavnick on the Christian Life by John Bolt $3.99
Calvin on the Christian Life by Michael Horton $3.99
Edwards on the Christian Life by Dane Ortland $3.99
Luther on the Christian Life by Carl Trueman $3.99
Newton on the Christian Life by Tony Reinke $3.99
Owen on the Christian Life by Matthew Barrett $3.99
Packer on the Christian Life by Sam Storms $3.99
Warfield on the Christian Life by Fred Zaspel $3.99
Wesley on the Christian Life by Fred Sanders $3.99

Rise by Trip Lee $1.99
Onward by Russell Moore $2.99
Evangelical Feminism by Wayne Grudem $2.99

The Bettelli Buzz Vol. 7 Feb. 17, 2016

Another adventurous week comes to a close. Last week I was working in Pennsylvania. This was my first time ever to visit this state, and once again it snowed most of the time we were there.

It was a winter wonderland. 

Most of the areas we worked in were characterized by the Amish and Mennonite communities. It was common to pass my Amish horse and buggy since most of them don't drive cars.

We met some great people who love the Lord and really love Focus on the Family. Some of the families we met shared their personal testimonies of how Focus helped them through some very dark and difficult times. 

The rep I was training with loved to stop at old book stores or thrift shops to look for theology when we had some free time. 

I found this "gem" in one of the stores...

I thought it was interesting because it was written when Hilary was the First Lady and it was dedicated to Eleanor Roosevelt. 

I flew back to Colorado Springs Thursday night and had meetings all day Friday.

On Saturday, I went to check out the housing market in Colorado Springs.I saw some nice homes.

In the process I stopped for my very first Caribou Coffee. 

My Turtle Mocha was delicious! 

On Sunday I got to visit a two churches. First I went to the local A29 church called Westside Church, and then I visited Village Seven Presbyterian Church...come to find out, Village 7 planted Westside. 

Village 7 is not a small church, but it wasn't as big as another I had recently visited. I have never been a Presbyterian, but who knows...The worship was solid, the preaching was solid...I'll go back next week to learn more about the children's ministry. 

My wife comes to visit me this week! I can't wait!

Here are some articles to pay attention to from last week.

Disability Does Not Justify Abortion by John Knight

What the Church Can Learn From Justice Scalia's Life by Russell Moore 

Staying Married When You Feel Like Leaving by Jim Daly

To Your Daughter, Speak The Truth by Jen Wilkins

Here is your book buzz: The Perspectives series is on sale for $2.99 each.

Perspectives on the Sabbath; 
Perspectives on the Ending of Mark; 
Perspectives on Your Child’s Education; 
Perspectives on Family Ministry; 
Perspectives on the Doctrine of God; 
Perspectives on Election; 
Perspectives on Church Government;
Perspectives on Children’s Spiritual Formation; 
Perspectives on Spirit Baptism; 
Perspectives on Tithing; 
Perspectives on Christian Worship; 
Perspectives on the Extend of the Atonement; 
Perspectives on Our Struggle With Sin.
The Glory of Heaven by John MacArthur $2.99
Truth Endures by John MacArthur $2.99
The MacArthur Study Bible by John MacArthur $4.99
What Happens After I Die? by Michael Rogers $2.99
Heaven by Christopher Morgan $2.99
The Allegory of Love by C.S. Lewis $1.99
Saved by Grace by John Bunyan $.99

The Bettelli Buzz Vol. 6 Feb. 10, 2016...working and playing in Florida

So this past week I flew back to Florida to work. I'm in the midst of training, so I flew into Tampa for one night, and then we were off to Orlando. I worked during the day and got to hang out with the fam at night.

It was so great to finally me home.

At the hotel, I got to do a little homeschool with Ethan. 

I finished my last appointment Friday afternoon and so the Bettelli's were off to Disney World.

We arrived just in time for the afternoon parade. I can't even count the number of time we've been to Disney World, so we just relaxed and enjoyed the afternoon with no expectations or "have to" rides to get to. 

Ethan got to go on "Its A Small World." 

Lexi got to go on the Carousel.

Mommy got ice cream ( sorry, no pic), and George got to...well, let's just say he's beginning to get too old for some of these rides, but we all had a great time together.

After Disney we met my parents for dinner at Bonefish Grill to celebrate Louise's Birthday. I love me some bang bang shrimp!

The next day was George's first flag football game of the season, and boy did his team dominate! 

George has some great runs and he even scored a touchdown. So proud!

And while George played, his brother and sister cheered him on...

After the game we got to have lunch with Uncle Derek and Aunt Gina. Then back home for some much needed fff. (That's code for: forced family fun).

So dad played "dollhouse."

Dad played Clue and Spot It.

Later that night we had dinner with Uncle Peter, Aunt Whitney and little Brooklyn. 

Sunday, we all enjoyed worshipping with our friends.

Then lunch with Papou and Nona. We ended the weekend with an incredible Super Bowl! Go Broncos!

Needless to say I'm going to miss my family, but it was a great homecoming. God is good.

Here is your Book Buzz:

The Freedom of the Will by Jonathan Edwards $.99
Loving the Way Jesus Loves by Philip Ryken $3.99
Bible Doctrine by Wayne Grudem $5.99
Understanding Biblical Theology by Edward Klink $3.99
Faith Alone by Thomas Schreiner $5.99
The Gospel in Genesis by Martin Lloyd Jones $2.99

Here are some articles to take note of:

Are Abortion Activists Going to Boycott Doritos? by Jim Daly
Woman At War & the GOP by Marc LiVecche
On My Shelf: Life and Books with David Wells by Ivan Mesa

The Bettelli Buzz Vol. 5 Feb. 2, 2016 The Slopes of Beaver Creek

Well, my second week at Focus on the Family was AWESOME! I don't know of any other word to describe it.

One thing that Focus on the Family does each year is a Family Ski Trip. Every so often, guys from my team will be asked to help with these types of events. So, besides working the event, we also get to hang out with the families on the slopes. 

This year the Focus on the Family Ski Trip was in Beaver Creek, Colorado. Beaver Creek is close to Vail. Other than that, I don't think I could explain how to get there. It was absolutely beautiful. Check out the picture I took from the mountains of the village. 

It was truly a privilege to be a representative on this event. 5-Star Event...hands down!

The last time I went snowboarding in Colorado was some time in the late 90's. Since then I've boarded in North Carolina. There is no comparison whatsoever. The Rockies are bigger, steeper, and the runs seem like they never end. 

Being up in the mountains reminds me of how small I am, and how big our God is. It's so hard to imagine a world without a creator when you sit and look at the breathtaking Rocky Mountains. 

Psalms 95:4-7 says, "In his hand are the depths of the earth; the heights or the mountains are his also. The sea is his, for he made it, and his hands formed the dry land. Oh come, let us worship and bow down; let us kneel before the Lord, our Maker! For he is our God, and we are the people of his pasture, and the sheep of his hand."

I had the privilege of making some great new relationships with men and women who love Jesus and want to see the Gospel go forward to change hearts and minds so that God is glorified through stronger marriages, stronger families, less abortions, and worldwide evangelism. 

Here are a few more photos from the event. 

Below is a picture of me with Kathy Phillips. Kathy is a 1976 Olympic Gold Medalist. She was the youngest gold medalist in alpine skiing at the Innsbruck Olympic Games at age 18. I got to snowboard with her on Friday afternoon while she skied.

Here is another picture of a BLACK that I got stuck in accidentally. I made it out ok, but it took forever. 

This event felt like a "summer camp" of sorts. At the end of the trip, everyone is exchanging information and giving each other hugs hoping that we will see each other again some day. 

Great devotion, hilarious stories (You have to ask me how Dr. Greg and Erin Smalley met...so funny), awesome food, fun friends, and amazing slopes...can you ask for a better event? 

So what's been buzzing around in my head this week? SNOW, SNOW, and more SNOW!!! I wish I had some news to talk about. Well, there's the election, which I'm sure you all are watching. But there has been so much snow in Colorado the past two days that Focus on the Family has been closed. I now know what it means to be SNOWED IN. In the past two days we got between 15-20 inches of snow.

Focus in Review:

So part of my job is to watch, listen, and read the resources that Focus on the Family distributes. So right now, I wanted to let you know what I'm reviewing. 

1. The Truth Project. 

The Truth Project is a DVD curriculum hosted by Del Tackett and features theologians such as R.C. Spourl, Os Guinness, and Ravi Zacharius. It's a curriculum that takes it's viewers on a journey to understand what it means to have a Christian worldview. It answers questions like: Who is God? What is truth? Why evil in the world? 

2. Finding Home by Jim Daly

Finding Home is the story of Jim Daly's life. Many people know who Dr. James Dobson is the founder of Focus on the Family, but Dr. Dobson retired over 10 years ago, and Jim Daly has been the President of FOTF since 2005. I have met him now on several occasions and he is a really fun guy to listen to. One thing I love about him is that he has a gospel-centered heart. He wants students, families, readers, and watchers to know that FOTF is first and foremost about Jesus, and reaching those in our culture with the gospel. His story is incredible. 

3. Stronger by Jim Daly

I'm also reading a book called Stronger that Jim wrote. This book dives into Scripture to try and understand why bad things happen, and how God uses them. It is filled with Scripture and stories of people who have overcome some major tragedies through the power and strength of the Holy Spirit. 

Here is your Book Buzz:

Has Christianity Failed You? by Ravi Zacharius $3.99
The Call by Os Guinness $2.99
Finishing Our Course with Joy by J.I. Packer $2.99
Rediscovering Holiness by J.I. Packer $1.99
Walking as He Walked by Joel Beeke $.99
Exalting Jesus Commentaries Series with authors such as David Platt, Daniel Akin, James Hamilton, and Tony Merida
Found: God's Peace by John MacArthur FREE

Be Edified.