Women of Promise

  We all love to make things look nice, don't we?  Ourselves, our children, our cars, our homes --- most people like for our lives to be attractive to others and for our own enjoyment.  While I usually brush it off as false, Sam knows that I love hearing him or the kids tell me I am beautiful.  The beauty of nature is breathtaking.  God made us all to love pretty things.      Brother Doug has been leading us through the book of Titus recently.  Titus 2 speaks to every category of Christian -- older men, older women, young men, young women, and those in bondage.  A couple things stood out to me as Doug was teaching that have been running through my mind for the last couple of weeks.   3  Older women likewise are to be reverent in behavior,  not slanderers  or slaves to much wine. They are to teach what is good,  4  and so train the young women to love their husbands and children,  5  to be self...

     My father-in-law entered the presence of Jesus last night.  He is with the thousands around the Throne, praising the King.  Those of us left behind experience the pain of earthly separation of a loved one.  The pain is raw and leaves us exhausted and numb. We know he is experiencing a joy we can only imagine vaguely, but the ache is so acute right now.  Our minds don't even know what or how to pray at times like these.       Thankfully, the Holy Spirit is ready and able to carry the pain in our hearts to the Father and intercede for us at times like these.         Likewise the Spirit also helps in our weaknesses. For we do not know what we should pray for as we ought, but the Spirit Himself makes intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered. Now He who searches the hearts knows what the mind of the Spirit  is,  because He makes intercession for the saints according to  the w...

     I stumbled across the writings and artwork of a fascinating Christian missionary this past week.  Her name is Lilias Trotter.  A British girl, born in 1853, Lilias was a naturally gifted painter.  She was privileged to be mentored by a well respected art critic who is quoted as saying that Lilias could have been one of the greatest artists of that day.  Lilias lost her father as a child and found comfort in her Heavenly Father.  She spent her time serving the homeless in London's inner city and painting until the art mentor gave her an ultimatum.  If she wanted to be a great artist, she would need to give up her charity work and devote herself entirely to her painting.  After prayer and discussing with trusted friends, Lilias realized that she did need to be completely focused on one passion to fulfill the calling God had given her.  She chose to move into a life of full-time evangelism in Algeria.  Imagine a single woman ...