Women of Promise

Source: Billy Graham on Twitter: 2/1/17          Do you ever wake up drained -- exhausted before the day even begins?  Do you ever want to bury your head in the pillow and hide from everyone and everything?  I have heard it called sensory overload, or "needing a mental health day," and other similar things.  Sometimes as a mom, the children pour out their needs and I just don't seem to have anything to give, even for the most simple of requests.  My patience may run thin and I snap over a minor infraction.  Even worse, I may not correct them when they need correction because I "can't deal with it right now."  Sound familiar?  It may be a different source for you that causes you to feel that your "cup has run dry."  Perhaps it is work, friends, or other family members that seem to drain you.  Have you ever heard the phrase, "You can't pour from an empty cup?"  Where do you go when your cup is dry?  Do you tur...

    Wherefore come out from among t hem, and be ye separate, saith the Lord,  2 Corinthians 6:17   I have often heard this verse taken out of context from the pulpit over the years. It has been used to dictate minutia regarding appearances and lifestyle. Some have even taken this as living in almost complete isolation from the world as much as possible. This is often taught in a manner akin to legalism, which places faith in actions rather than the finished work of Christ on the cross. In learning what legalism is, my fleshly reaction was to bounce in the opposite direction from that teaching as a young adult. That was equally in error. I pray that I am slowly understanding more of what God was saying through Paul to the church of Corinth.     First, it is always important to understand the context of any verse that is being studied.  Paul was calling the believers of Corinth to separate themselves from the idol worship that was rampant in their c...

  Oh, magnify the  LORD   with me, and let us exalt his name together ! Psalm 34:3   I remember a fun little vacation my sisters and I spent with my aunt and uncle one summer on Tim's Ford Lake. My uncle would take us out to the far ends of the lake in his pontoon boat and we would jump out into the lake and swim. We had a blast swimming in the shadows of that big boat. It's overarching presence gave us comfort and we never once were concerned about how to get home -- because my sisters and I certainly had no clue where we were. However we had complete faith in my uncle, the captain of his ship, and that big boat's glorious presence was what we looked to for reassurance. We were in awe of that boat, and the times we were able to go out in it were major highlights of that trip.    That little illustration came to mind as I was meditating on some truths about servant leadership that God led me to recently. As we learn to serve God and each other, what is it t...

  For since the creation of the world God’s invisible qualities—his eternal power and divine nature—have been clearly seen, being understood from what has been made, so that people are without excuse.   Romans 1:20 Not long ago, I came across a short  devotional based on the protein called laminin.  This protein is a binding protein that is essential to life -- basically it holds every molecule of our bodies together.  It also "happens" to be shaped like a cross and has a construction of three strands that are wound together to form its shape. How fascinating is that? Could this have just "happened"? Extremely unlikely. Furthermore, Scripture tells us that the creation points us to the Creator. We are right to seek out these proofs of God's omnipotence and marvel. I love to find the gospel displayed in nature!  I did have to take issue with the devotional on its application.  Maybe it was a technicality, but we must be super aware of anything...

            One weight-loss method that has gained a lot of attention is "intermittent fasting."  Some medical professionals are saying that when done on a regular basis this practice has significant health benefits.     Did you know that the Bible has a lot to say about feasting and fasting? Did you know that these practices are spiritual in context? The very first sin involved food. Revelation talks about the Marriage Supper of the Lamb in chapter 19. In between these two events the law prescribes times of feasting and of restraint. We are given examples from Moses, Elijah, Ezra, Esther, David, Daniel, Anna, Jesus and Paul who fasted for specific times of prayer.      Often we talk about times of fasting from things (social media or sugar, for example). Anything that is done for the purpose of bringing our focus more fully on God's Word is beneficial. It is also good to note that fasting is not a prescribed thing in Scri...

       This is the week leading up to the Sunday known as "Easter Sunday."  In both Latin and Greek, this is Pascha, or "Resurrection Sunday."  Since at least the second century, A.D., (but most likely even earlier) Christians have observed this celebration of Jesus' resurrection.  What a gripping and powerful event this was! Because of the resurrection of Jesus from the dead, we have eternal life! This event proved that Jesus is the Messiah -- the promised Savior!      As we celebrate this glorious event, we often recall the detailed events leading up to that glorious event when the stone is rolled away and tomb is found empty.  I have been challenged this season to look at not only what  the Resurrection is, but who  the Resurrection is.  You see, Jesus says in John 11:25:  I am the Resurrection and the life .  He who believes in me, though he may die, he shall live.      The Resurrection is...

  Shakespeare wrote "A rose by any other name would smell as sweet."  I am not quite convinced (like Anne Shirley in Anne of Green Gables) that a rose would smell quite as beautiful if it were called a thistle or a skunkcabbage. 😆     When we name our children, we often think long and hard about what this child will be called for the rest of their lives.  Perhaps it is a beloved relative's name, or the name of a special person or place.  Often we research the meanings and choose one that reflects a positive image or message.  Maybe we just like the way the name sounds when combined with a middle or last name.       Depending on who you read, there are somewhere between 200 to 350 (possibly more) different names for Jesus in the Bible!  What we must understand is in the Hebrew culture of Biblical times, names were much more than just a title.  Names conveyed a description of who or what that person was.  For example, ...

      Do you ever struggle to know what to pray?  I do. God hears our heart. We can pour out our feelings to Him. Praise God for His Spirit who takes our feeble words and thoughts and brings them to the Father. However, there are many times when words fail to come. What do I pray when I don't have a clue what God's will for this situation or person may entail?     Something that I have been challenged to learn lately is to pray Scripture.  What a blessing this is!  First, this requires me to be reading His Word. I must be familiar with Scripture. Time spent in God's Word is always a blessing. I learn of my Savior as I am searching.     Next, I have great confidence that my heart and spirit are aligned with His will when I am praying the Words of God. So much of the Bible is the records of the prayers and heart-cries of Christ, or types of Christ. He is our model in all things, including prayer.    How does this work? ...

I am resharing this post from several months ago. I needed to revisit this truth myself and pray it blesses you as much as it did me.     I read something this week that I do not recall hearing in this way before.  It shook me to the core and I was amazed at the all encompassing presence and glory of God in a brand new way.  After researching it some and confirming that the information was accurate and not merely a "feel good" inspirational segment, I have been meditating on the truths shared whenever I had some moments to reflect.  It has brought me to tears of joy and adoration.  It has caused me to weep over the lack of knowledge I have of who our God is and exactly how much He is concerned with the fact that we are made in His image.       First, I would like to share the short piece writing that rocked my world this week: There was a moment when Moses had the nerve to ask God what his name is. God was gracious enough to answer, and ...

       Ephesians 5:25 is the passage that most women get excited to hear taught. Their thoughts go something like this: "Yes!! This is how my husband should be. He NEEDS to hear this!! Preach it, Pastor!"    Today I wanted to share something from this passage that was convicting for me, as a woman.  I want to look at the last part of verse 25. just as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her     Yes, this verse is directed at instructing the men to love their brides as Jesus loves, but I was led to think for a bit on the magnitude of how much Christ loved the church.  It was so much that He gave His life for her! He LOVES the church! The church is His Bride. There are many more evidences of this in Scripture.      Thinking about another verse brought me to my knees again. Romans 8:29 tells us that God called us to be "conformed into the image of His Son."  In other words, if we are born again, we should be ...

       A favorite Bible story of mine, as a child, was the story of Naaman. This short story is found in 2 Kings chapter 5.  I was pointed to meditate on Naaman's wife's servant girl this past week in a book. This little girl is memorialized in the Bible for speaking one sentence. What an impact that one, small act of faith made on all of History!     This girl is "young" from the description we are given in 2 Kings 5:2. She was taken captive by "bands of raiders from Aram" and ended up as a servant girl to Naaman's wife. Naaman was the commander of the army for the king of Aram. I cannot imagine the fear and trauma that this girl endured as she was ripped from her home by strangers. Who knows what all she was subjected to during that event? All we know is that she had faith that Elisha could heal Naaman. Despite the fact that Naaman was her captor, she had compassion and desired to help him. She speaks up and says, "I wish my master would go see th...

            Trusting God is a lesson we must learn over and over again. He forces us to rely on Him in so many aspects of our lives, because He knows that when we finally realize that He is the one in control, we can find the peace and joy that He longs to give us.  As long as we are trying to "fix" things on our own, or trusting in our own strength, we miss out in that true fulfillment that comes from complete rest in the Creator of everyone and everything.      Finances is one area that we can more easily see this concept at work.  Recognizing that our daily bread comes from the hand of God maintains our focus on stewardship of His resources, as our pastor has been teaching us this month. This is an area in which He demands complete surrender and trust.      The areas in which I have been challenged with most recently are trusting God with my time management and  Mount Everest -sized "to do list". Sometime...

       Our bodies need a variety of nutrients to operate well.  A diet consisting of only fruit would not be very good for anyone's health -- even though fruit is a delicious and healthy food that God has given us to enjoy and use. A baby may drink only milk for a time, but it needs something more substantial as it grows. As we learn more about how our individual bodies function, we learn how important it is to eat at least something from most of the different food groups. Each one provides essential vitamins, protein, fiber, or cell-building elements that help our bodies operate as God intended. Children tend to have a few select foods that they will eat, but most expand that selection as they grow (some more than others!!). If we are convinced of the vital importance of a certain food, often we can even develop a taste or desire for it that we may not naturally have.      This analogy applies to the Word of God. The whole Bible is God's Word and...

     Everything worth having requires effort.  Healthy bodies, healthy marriages, or healthy lifestyles   do not just happen without intentionality, work, and cultivation. The same is true of a deep relationship with Christ.  It requires a focused, intentional effort on our part to start and maintain a lifestyle of learning and loving Him. While all of our salvation is secured in Christ, and His work only, there is an element of our faith that requires us to act.        Revelation 2:1 speaks of the church at Ephesus and commends them for their patient endurance and not growing weary in the work of the Lord.  This tells us that living out the calling of the gospel in our lives is not always easy!  Now, all along the way God offers us His strength and tremendous blessing.  We will see the benefits of this effort!  However, the church at Ephesus was doing all the right things, but had lost their "first love."  ...

       Life is so uncertain. We never know what is going to be thrown at us. All the self-help or parenting books in the world, cannot truly prepare you for that feeling  that comes when you actually experience an event. The truth is that all of us experience anxiety, fear, grief, and sorrow.  It is part of our fallen nature. Adam and Eve did not know fear or anxiety until they disobeyed in the Garden. Ever since, humanity has been crippled with the effects of sin, deeply imbedded in each heart from birth.      Satan has so many lies that he wants us to believe.  One such lie is that we will always be controlled by our fears and anxiety. He wants us to think that we will always be consumed by grief.  He wants us to believe that God is not enough.  Somehow, someway, we have to do something or find some magic potion that will help us "snap" out of our circumstances and finally have joy, money, and satisfaction.  These are ju...

   Happy New Year!      I hope you have had a wonderful time of rest and fellowship with your family and friends over the past week or two as we have celebrated the birth of Jesus and welcomed in the new year.      As we embarq on a new (or old) set of goals and resolutions for 2026, I came across a really fascinating tidbit of information I wanted to share with you.     Apparently, in Hebrew, every fiftieth letter in the book of Genesis spells out the Hebrew word for Torah. The Torah is the term for the first five books of the Bible, also known as the Books of the Law.  So the very first letter is Tav, 49 letters later is Vav, 49 letters later you will find Reish, and 49 letters later you will find Heh.  Putting those Hebrew letters together is the TORH, or in English, Torah.       This is exactly the same in the book of Exodus!! Starting with the first letter of the book, and moving by groups of 50, you wi...

Image source: getwallpapers.com        Merry Christmas!  This beautiful season is full of beautiful reminders of what Jesus's birth means to the people of God.  I have been blessed as I have meditated on the wonder of God giving His Only Son to be born in full humanity to a humble, blessed virgin girl.  The plan of redemption was set in motion with this glorious event.  This simple, poorly-written little piece is just a bit of the swirl of thoughts going through my mind this Christmas season.  Our Faithful Father, full of grace and love is worthy of our praise and thanksgiving, at Christmas and always! Merry Christmas! Promise Fulfilled To Adam and Eve In shame and guilt hidden, Grace was extended; A promise was given. The penalty: death. No sin enters heaven To rescue man's plight A promise was given. To Abram's children Count the stars twinkling gold Honoring the faithful, A promise foretold. In Providence wise Joseph, to Egypt driven. Prep...

      Our family looks forward to the day each year when the Christmas music begins playing on the radio. We have typically started listening to a few Christmas carols before the radio station begins their 24/7 serenade, but once the radio begins, it is all Christmas music in our home!     One thing I love about Christmas carols is the story of the gospel is played, sung and heard everywhere! Parades, symphonies, secular music artists, and more will be performing these gospel messages and stores will broadcast them as you shop. Of course, there is a growing secular portfolio of music as well, but you will hear so many of the traditional Christmas carols every day of the Christmas season.  So many of them have a strong Scriptural basis and it is wonderful to hear God's Word proclaimed boldly in so many places during this time of the year.       O Come, O Come, Emmanuel is a such a beautiful example of the gospel in song. It has 7 verses, ...

   Some  days we just need some encouragement, don't we?  When the trials of life overwhelm us, whether it is people or circumstances, our hearts can get heavy.  Often our minds are too muddled to even think through the issues in front of us.  There are times that the only thing that seems to calm our frustrated or hurting hearts is music.  Ephesians 5:19 and Colossians 3:16 both tell us that we are to speak to one another (Christians) in "psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs." What are these three types of music?  If you look at these three terms, they are actually all referring to the Psalms of Scripture! They refer to three different types or categories of the Psalms.  There are some Christians who use these verses to argue that the words of the Psalms are the only lyrics that should be sung in the church.       I am not calling us to "solo Psalmody" in our church.  However, I do want us to consider that we are told ...

       I shared before a few points that challenged me from a study in the book of Nehemiah. The post today continues on this theme -- please bear with me as we talk about prayer some more.  I don't think that prayer can be emphasized too much.  God has been leading me and convicting me to grow in this area more and more. I have grown up praying and hearing prayer. However, recently I have been searching out how to pray. It is not hard or complicated, but it is a discipline that needs to be cultivated and focused on.     From Nehemiah 4, God showed me the challenge to "Fight for your brethren, your sons, your daughters, your wives, and your houses."  God gives us the responsibility to fight for our homes and our brothers and sisters in Christ!  We are not simply bystanders that have no recourse as we watch our family be overtaken by the darts of Satan.  We are called to fight! -- on our knees.  I Thessalonians 5:17 further...