Women of Promise

  Image Source: Amazon.com     In the last couple of years, we have started a tradition with the children of decorating a Jesse tree.  Starting December 1, we add one ornament a day and read the Bible passage and short Bible story that accompanies it.  We are not always perfectly consistent and days get missed, but we try!  What never changes is the blessing my heart gets from meditating on the wonder of Jesus coming to earth as a human baby and the story that is told of redemption throughout the whole Bible! It is one of my favorite traditions, even if it is a newer one for us.  Most of the kids enjoy the tradition, even the older ones who feign boredom!  The seeds of the gospel are being planted in their hearts and the Bible stories point them to Jesus in a way that might not be emphasized enough at other times during the year.       What is a Jesse tree?  It started way back in Medieval times, from what I have learned....

Image source: biblecartoons.co.uk      What is the last thing you pick up as you get prepared to face the day?  After you have clothed your body, what is the last thing you grab as you head out the door?  Your purse, your wallet, your phone, your keys, your lunch....?   The Roman soldier grabbed his sword.  This is how Ephesians 6 closes out the section describing the armor we need to stand against the attacks of sin and darkness that are sent our way.   "Take... the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God." Ephesians 6:17     Paul wrote this letter to the Ephesians from prison.  No wonder he was very familiar with the pieces of armor used by a Roman soldier!  No doubt he had stared down the shank of a daunting weapon:  the double edged sword.  Romans typically used a sword sharpened on both sides and so incredibly sharp that it could pierce a metal shield!   This was both an offensive a...

source: biblecartoons.co.uk      I rode my bike as a child all over our small town without a helmet.  Up hills, down hills, speeding around curves, across streets.... everywhere!  I was totally oblivious to the potential dangers I was opening myself up for.  Today, I wouldn't think of letting my kids ride their bikes in those same areas without a helmet.       We could list a multitude of sporting events that require head protection. We have laws that require helmets while riding on motorcycles or ATVs.  Construction zones often have areas that require a hard hat.        What's the big deal with helmets? Of course, we know the reason!  The head is importa...

  Image source:  biblecartoons.org           As a young girl in Pennsylvania where my family lived for a short time, I can remember building a snow fortress in the winter.  My siblings and I, along with the neighborhood children would pick teams and each build the best snow wall we could before engaging in an epic snowball fight.  As long as I was hunkered down close to that snow wall, the snowballs would sail past me or hit the front of the wall and I was safe from the missiles that could sting just a little before splattering to the ground.  I imagine the shield of faith to be something like that snow wall that sheltered me from the onslaught.        In addition to all this, take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one.  Ephesians 6:16     This next piece of armor in our study is the more mobile piece.  In other words, a soldier ...