Women of Promise

      The words to the Gaither hymn, "Because He Lives," have been rolling through my mind this week.  At many difficult points in my life, the lyrics to this song have encouraged my heart, bolstered my faith and brought me peace by turning my focus back to the miracle of the resurrection of Jesus.  "Because He lives I can face tomorrow.  Because He lives all fear is gone!  Because I know He holds the future, and life is worth the living just because He LIVES!" ~Bill and Gloria Gaither        As we look to the celebration of this pivotal event this week, it is a beautiful exercise to review what the resurrection means to each one of us who are redeemed by the blood of the Lamb.  It is more than a yearly excuse to get together with family and eat a delicious dinner. It is far more than chocolate and pretty eggs.   Why is the fact that Jesus walked out of that grave three days after His death significant to you and I to...

 I Samuel 1:27 “For this child I prayed, and the LORD granted me my petition which I asked of  Him.” NKJV We talked about women to emulate and imitate in an earlier post. Hagar, although a maidservant and a pawn, sought and found the God-Who-Sees. Another Old Testament  woman that has impacted my life is the opposite of Hagar - Hannah, a beloved wife. Hannah was a much loved but barren wife in a society where a woman’s worth was measured  in the children, she blessed her husband with. Her husband (as was the custom in that time)  had another wife and children, but he held a special place in her heart for Hannah and always  made sure she had a double portion. Hannah, while at the Tabernacle worshipping one year,  made a vow to the Lord and pleaded for a child. She promised the Lord that if He blessed her,  she would return that child to the Lord and it would serve Him all of its life. Like, Hannah, I have been childless in a world where babies seem...