Women of Promise

Does God know our needs?  He absolutely does!        For your Father   knows the things you have need of before you ask Him .   Matthew 6:8b, NKJV       In the Lord's Prayer, Jesus guides us to petition our Father for the most basic of human needs:  food.   " Give us this day our daily bread ."   Matthew 6:11.    He knows what we need, but still wants to hear us ask.  By asking we acknowledge that our very existence is dependent on the provision of our Father.  Even if our pantry is overflowing, we know that it is full only because the Lord has provided that blessing.  Even in a state of abundance, the Bible teaches that our attitudes should remain in a state of need. We are instructed to ask for just enough for this day.  Relying on our Father for our basic needs is important for us to recognize that our existence is in His hands.  This leads our hearts to resp...

  Unity is always a beautiful thing, isn't it?  The synchronized swimmers in the Olympics are a perfect example of multiple entities moving and working together to create something glorious.  Team diving is another example. In the winter Olympics, the figure skating couples move in harmony and unity.  Unity of spirit is actually very hard to achieve.  Impossible, actually, apart from the Lord. Why? Because unity is the opposite of loving self, which is what our sinful, human natures strive for.   Jesus says that the reason He shared His glory with His disciples, was "that they may be one, as we are one"  John 17:22.  Apparently this unity is very important to the Father!  If we look at God's glory as the catalyst or essential element to unity, which is a major part of the reason Jesus came to earth, we have to look into His glory more closely. The story of Moses in the Old Testament talks about God's glory.  Do you remember the stor...

     It's been mentioned before, but the sad reality is that 66% percent of American young people who were regular church attendees leave the church between the ages of 18 and 22.  66%!!! That number brings me to tears! As a mother that can seem like I am facing a hopeless task as I seek to raise my children to have a relationship with Jesus that is vibrant and living.  Is it a foregone conclusion that our children will most likely leave the faith? How can parents and churches shift the current trend and produce young people who are bearing light in this dark world?  The good news is that we can raise godly children in a sinful world with confidence. God's Word is the manual and His promises never fail.  We will look at some practical ways that families and churches can lead our children to a strong, personal faith in Jesus.      Some of us don't have children currently.  Perhaps you are single, dating, just married, barren, or a gr...

Image source: simplyconvivial.com         The summer months are typically a break from the regular school schedule for my kiddos.  As a homeschooling mom with seven grades to prepare for, my summer is pretty full of lesson planning for the fall.  I have learned the hard way that the more I prepare ahead of time, the smoother the schoolyear goes for all of us.       Charlotte Mason was a Christian educator from England in the late 1800s who provided guidance and educational resources for parents and teachers.  Her books and methods have gained renewed following among homeschoolers and other educators in recent years, although they have been used for decades.  I often use one of her quotes as a motto to encourage my children to always do their best.  Sometimes I hang it on the wall where it is easily seen each day.  Sometimes I print it for the front of their notebooks.  It reminds them of who they are and whe...

    We frequently talk about Jesus as our Good Shepherd. Rightly so. He is the perfect Shepherd -- Our Guide, Protector, and Provider of every need.   But, Jesus is also portrayed in Scripture as the Lamb of God. Before Jesus ever went to the cross, He was identified. John the Baptist announces Him in John 1:29: “Behold, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world!”     That was not just a poetic title. That was a prophetic declaration. John was not simply calling Jesus gentle or innocent. He was identifying Him as the Lamb. Not just any lamb. Not merely a symbol of meekness, although He perfectly exemplified these qualities. But The Lamb, the One to whom Passover had always pointed.   As John said those words, he was pointing both forward and backward. Forward to the cross. Backward to Exodus, to blood on doorposts, to judgment passing over, and to deliverance through sacrifice.      In Exodus 12, God gives Israel i...

    Leviticus 23, verses 1–3 gives us what feels like a preamble to its later content. Before God speaks of annual feasts, He begins with the weekly Sabbath. That is important. Before the celebrations, the pilgrimages, or the sacred seasons, He begins with rest.The Sabbath comes first.  That tells us something profound: Rest is not an afterthought in the life of God’s people. It is foundational. God did not give Sabbath as punishment. He gave it as a gift.    It was never meant to be a burden. It was meant to be merciful blessing. A day to step away from ordinary work and striving.A day to be restored.A day to remember that God is God, and we are not.    The Sabbath invites us to stop looking at our work and refocus on His. It reminds us that the world continues spinning without our constant effort.That is humbling,  and it is freeing.    For many of us this is difficult. Because stopping is difficult. There is always on...

     I absolutely love a good planner. Especially a pretty one with plenty of room to write things down. There is something calming to my soul for me to be able to see the patterns come to life as I write down the daily meal plan or the weekly activities.       There are three main places in the Torah where God lays out Israel’s religious calendar: Exodus 21–23 Leviticus 23 (and Numbers 28–29) Deuteronomy      Each one gives us a slightly different perspective on the same sacred calendar. In the same way the Gospels tell the same story of Christ from different angles, these passages show us the same sacred rhythm with different emphasis. One emphasizes covenant. One emphasizes worship and sacrifice. One emphasizes remembrance and obedience. Each unique emphasis gives us a fuller picture of His divine perspective.        Leviticus gives us the priestly perspective. It focuses especially on worship, offering...

        Do you like to work jigsaw puzzles? Growing up, my grandmother and mom loved to work large jigsaw puzzles. I’m talking 500, 750, 1000  piece puzzles. The week between Christmas and New Year was traditionally the time where we had a table devoted to a large puzzle. Inevitably, we would all be pulled into it at some point in the week. Sometimes we finished it, sometimes not. It was left out on the table and we would spend hours pouring over it. Gradually, the beautiful picture emerged, as the pieces came together.       What is the first step in putting the puzzle together? After pouring out some of the pieces, you first have to turn over the pieces to see the pattern on the front, right?       Our spiritual journey in understanding the Bible is similar to working a puzzle. We are gradually gaining a better understanding of the beautiful picture that will become increasingly more clear to us as we place ea...

     C.S. Lewis is quoted as saying that Psalm 19 was "the greatest poem in the Psalter, and one of the most beautiful lyrics in the world."  I am not a judge of literature, but I tend to agree with him! Have you read this Psalm recently? It is only 14 verses, and does not take long at all to read.  While it is very beautiful to read,  it is more than pretty words.  This short song draws our hearts to the Creator and His law, ultimately turning our hearts and minds to repentance and worship.  The heavens declare the glory of God; and the firmament sheweth his handywork.               Day unto day uttereth speech, and night unto night sheweth knowledge.                             There is no speech nor language, where their voice is not heard.                        ...

    Amy Carmichael was a Christian missionary to India.  She is most known for her work with the women and girls, many of whom were left at the Hindu temples.  She rescued girls of all ages from a life of prostitution and started a home and school where she taught them the love of Jesus, while also providing love and care for their physical needs.  Facing opposition from the priests and families, and even other missionaries, Amy served in India for fifty-five years. The last twenty of those years she was mostly confined to her bedroom due to chronic pain and immobility she suffered as a result of a terrible fall. She wrote many poems and books. Her home for girls is still in operation. Her work is continued by the girls she rescued and raised along with others sent by God to help. I encourage you to read more about this inspiring Christian lady, if you are not familiar with her.    I love to read and learn about Amy's life, as well as her many poems an...

      When life presses in pretty close and trials and troubles encroach on our hearts, where can we turn? When schedules and concerns overwhelm our minds, how are we to cope? When we can't even form words to pray, what will bring peace to our soul?     The Word of God provides the answers. The Word of God is alive and powerful. It is sharper than a sword. The Word of God is the Bible. The Word of God is Jesus. The Word of God is our peace and our comfort. The Word of God is our refuge when the storms of life are howling all around us.       The Psalms are one place in the Word of God that can provide the clarity of thought and the peace and calm to our souls that we need. My father gave me a Psalter many years ago. A Psalter is the Psalms of the Bible put into a form for singing (often to traditional hymns that are very familiar to me.)  I love to open this book and read this version of the Psalms, often humming them to the tu...

Remember the song, "I'm so glad I'm a part of the family of God"? It has been running my head recently. The family of faith really is a beautiful treasure. I know, because I haven't always had that. Sometimes life happens and we get separated from a fellowship. The pain and loneliness is difficult to navigate. God never intends this to be a long term situation, although He may use circumstances to guide us into His beautiful, pre-designed plan.  Sometimes we are tempted to think we are OK when we are off doing our own thing. The truth is, we need each other and the church needs you! I recently read a really great analogy told by D.L. Moody. A man told the preacher that he could be a good Christian without going to church. Without a word, D.L. Moody reached into the fireplace and removed one small log from the woodpile that was blazing.  He set the small log on the tile away from the rest of the fire. The log burned brightly at first before slowly getti...

It seems like summer has arrived!  With the warmer temperatures comes the increased struggle to keep our bodies hydrated.  Drinking water is essential for our human bodies.  Sometimes children do not even realize they need that water until you give them a cup of cold water and they feel the refreshment that it brings. They may be thirsty, but looking for sodas or snacks instead of water that they actually need. Plants dry up more quickly during these days of warm sunlight.  If you give them a source of water, they flourish and their leaves grow strong and green as they reach for the sun. God placed in all of us a thirst for something that will fulfill us. It is as much a part of our spiritual and emotional need as  physical water is for our bodies. It is absolutely essential that we discover that one thing that satisfies that longing in the pit of our soul.  So often we look everywhere for the answer to that thirst, except for that one place tha...

       Humans are funny creatures.  We are always striving for acceptance.  To do that, we want to dress like everyone around us. We want our homes to be decorated to look like the decorating shows. We compare everything about us to our neighbor or social media posts.  We want to "fit in." We want our kids to "fit in."  This is natural.     At the same time, we struggle to find some way to "stand out."  What is that one thing that makes us different?  Maybe it is a unique sense of style.  Maybe it's a quirky personality. Perhaps you have an unique sense of humor.  We find that thing and wear it with pride.  Our culture applauds this constant tug of war between "fitting in" and "standing out."  No wonder our teens are more confused than ever.       Being intentional about our faith means we look at every area of our life and ask ourselves, "Am I representing Jesus through this?"  This...

 I have shared this before, and as we are in the midst of VBS, I thought I would share it again. It has brought me tremendous blessing to reflect on this over the years, and I pray that God will use this in some small way to  reveal a little more of  Himself to all us.      I want to begin by sharing a short devotional that I read recently.  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 wri...

      As most of you well know, we are prepping and planning for our annual VBS! It is so beautiful to see the children having fun as they learn the Bible and interact with each other and the leaders every year.  As a church, it is lovely to watch so many work together for a common mission: sharing the gospel message.     The Bible has much to say about children.  Luke 18 tells us that Jesus had a very special spot in his heart for children.  He gives a command and a clue about the beauty of His Kingdom: Suffer the little children to come unto me, and forbid them not: for of such is the kingdom of God."    Luke 18:16      Service to children is service to Jesus.  He calls us to serve and love these little ones, because He loves them!  Torey reminded us of this at VBS training this year and this truth lived out is what separates true Christians from imposters.      As a church, we are blessed with l...

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...