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The Look of Maturity
For a caterpillar turned butterfly, we know what maturity looks like. There are stages of growth that we recognize if the larvae is growing properly inside its encasing. If you need a refresher science course, I found this interesting video showing how this happens,! We know what to expect for the butterfly-to-be. What about spiritual maturity? It’s not so cut and dried is it? If we are to grow as a disciple of Christ and become a disciple maker, as Matthew 28:18-20, instructs us, then we must assess whether growth is happening or not. So what are some things we are to look for? Let’s ask ourselves if we are…
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Is Discipleship Optional?
I just finished a weekend leadership training and my topic was discipling women. We looked at what spiritual maturity looks like and how to disciple women into the future. SO, I want to ask you the question in the title. “Is discipleship optional?” If you’ve read this blog for very long you may have seen me write about not being personally discipled when I became a believer as a preteen. I had no idea until my early 20’s that there were “NEXT” steps to take after salvation. These steps have nothing to do with receiving salvation and everything to do with understanding salvation and living for His purpose, not mine.…
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Who’s Driving?
Have you ever ridden a tandem bike? I have many years ago and I remember there is an unsettling feeling of letting go of the control of the ride completely to another person. Not always an easy thing to do, right? If you have ever taught someone to drive a car, you know that same feeling. This is illustration Jennifer Rothschild shares in her study I am in the middle of right now. I’ve read and studied Psalm 23 many times but this new perspective she shares is from her own personal place of struggle and growth, and it is powerful! Just in case you do not know, Jennifer is…
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Reconciliation Joy
In my chronological Bible reading this year, I just read again the story of Jacob and Esau in Genesis 33. I love when Jacob and Esau reconciled and saw each other again for the first time in many years and Jacob said, “For indeed, I have seen your face, and it is like seeing God’s face, since you have accepted me.” (Genesis 33:10) Jacob deceived both Esau and their father Isaac (you can read all about that in Genesis 25 and 27). And that meant he had to hightail it out of town to avoid Esau’s anger. Now after years apart, they reconnected and it was sweet. At least in…
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Joy Restored
Have you ever witnessed an old rusty, beat up car being restored to an earlier version of beauty? I love seeing the new ones on the road but if I saw it before it’s restoration I might turn away and not even notice. Or I might comment on how beat up it is! I’ve been doing the Bible study by LifeWay, The Faithful: Heroes of the Old Testament. Each week is authored by a different Bible teacher and this week I’ve been studying Jennifer Rothschild’s portion on Hosea. I’ve been challenged to take a look at Hosea’s wife Gomer at her worst and at her best. Kind of like the…
