Generations
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Everything?
How many days a week do you feel blessed? 5 out of 7? 2 out of 7? 7 out of 7? Something new stood out for me as I read (AGAIN) the story of Abraham’s life. It’s a simple verse in Genesis 24. “Abraham was now old, getting on in years, and the LORD had blessed him in everything.” Genesis 24:1 At first glance, it doesn’t appear to be more than a simple comment about Abraham, but something stood out to me that hadn’t before. As I reflected on what he had already experienced as he followed God in obedience, I thought, “EVERYTHING?” What about leaving his homeland and family…
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Discipleship For Women
If you’ve read my blog in the past, you are probably aware of my love for discipling women. It challenges me to keep learning and growing in my own walk with Christ, and to learn from the women I disciple. Their hunger keeps my own hunger for the Word fueled and my walk with Jesus strong. This week I am linking you to a post I wrote for Get Strong Ministries as a part of their Discipleship Leader Training. On this page (under video session 3) click Leading a Women’s Discipleship Group to read. If you have a heart for discipling women, I pray this will encourage and strengthen your…
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Marriage Thoughts Part 2
Be sure to read back to see part 1 before reading this second post. This continues my encouragement to a young bride, things I wish I’d known when I married. 3. Remember, your first ministry is your family. Serve your spouse without grumbling when you’d rather do something else! This is still something I am praying to achieve: being grateful I have to close his dresser drawers AGAIN for the 5th time today. Doing it is one thing, doing it with gratefulness instead of resentment is another! If you have children, they too are your first ministry, but do not place your children ahead of your spouse. One day, Lord…
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Marriage Thoughts Part 1
I had the incredible honor of speaking words of encouragement to my niece at her bridal luncheon this past weekend as she prepared to add a new last name to her own. I was reminded of my own marriage almost 52 years ago and thought about what I wish I’d known. So as I wrote thoughts for her, I decided to share them with you in 2 posts. This is specific for those who are married or may get married. As I like to call myself, I am an “imperfect woman in God’s perfect plan.” I wish I’d known these things back in 1971. I have learned a lot, but…
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5 Women With a Connection…Part 5
Do you sometimes wish you had this idyllic background and life story that was filled with family, faith and obedience? The women we’ve studied in this series all had issues, pain and loss…just like us. This final post in this series looks at Mary (Luke 1-2). Different in many ways from the other 4. They included one who betrayed and slept with her father-in-law, one was a prostitute, one had paganism in her background, and one was an adulteress. Then there is this humble Jewish teenager. Mary engaged to a man and, no doubt, excited about planning a wedding and looking forward to a home filled with love and children.…
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5 Women with a Connection…Part 4
If you could come up with one sin you have committed that disqualifies you from being used by God, what would it be? I’d have to sort through more than one myself. But the truth is, for a follower of Christ, there is not one sin the Lord would call out to us. The fourth woman in this series is Bathsheba. Her story is found in 2 Samuel 11. Men ruled in the ancient world. Women were not in the marketplace and didn’t have a strong voice in a marriage. And the kings had supreme power over their kingdoms and its inhabitants. In 2 Samuel 11:1-5, we see the “man…
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5 Women With a Connection…Part 3
Have you ever left your home and family to move to a place you had never been? Perhaps even a foreign country? That’s what Ruth did. Maybe you are familiar with her story, maybe not. Let’s back up and talk about her mother-in-law Naomi. She, along with her husband Elimelech and sons Mahlon and Chilion, moved from Jerusalem to Moab (a godless nation) due to the famine in Israel. This was a time period of the Judges in Israel and the famine was devastating. In Moab, the sons married Moabite women. Eventually, her husband and sons died leaving Naomi, and her two daughters-in-law, Orpah and Ruth, widows. In that day…
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5 Women With A Connection…Part 2
Have you ever done something that you think eliminates you from being used by God for Kingdom purpose? The is the second in a series so please click this category to read part 1 if you missed the intro. The woman in scripture we will look at today is Rahab. First, think about the things you already know about her, if you know her at all from Joshua 2. One word that normally describes her is her occupation: prostitute. We don’t know if she was without any support at all for her daily needs, or if she actually supported her family with this trade. One thing we do know, at…
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5 Women With a Connection…Part 1
Let’s start this post by asking a question. How do you think God uses you, personally? Why does He use you this way? Even right now, with the story you have lived in the past, and are currently living, whether smooth or bumpy? This post starts a series on 5 women in scripture who are connected to each other even though living in different biblical time periods. So, start by thinking of what you know about being a woman in the middle eastern ancient world. What challenges did they have? How would you navigate life if you had lived there in that time frame? Let’s take a look at Tamar first.…
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Sharing Great Small Group Leader Blogs
I want to share with you two great posts from LifeWay to help you as a small group leader. Next week I will share a “beach lesson” from our vacation. 1 Leading Well/Questions Good Leaders Ask from LifeWay Women. If you lead a small group of any kind, you will find this article helpful. 2 4 Ways to Arrange Your Small Group Bible Study Room from LifeWay Research. Sounds easy to figure out, but read this with your purpose in mind and see if your normal set up supports that purpose. Banner photo by Sincerely Media on Unsplash
