Kim: Diving in!

Hi ladies! Summer is upon us and now is a great time to get outside in the sunshine and do some summer reading. Whether you are poolside, parkside, seaside, lakeside, riverside, or mountainside, it is the perfect time to dive into God's Word. If you're looking for reading options or maybe a summer reading challenge, here are a few ideas:

Read the Bible in 90 Days- Summer Challenge

"Read the Bible cover to cover by investing as little as 30 minutes a day. In 90 days (two “grace days” are included) you’ll see the big picture of God’s great story unfold before you."

Click here to download the reading schedule: The Bible in 90 Days Reading Schedule.pdf

I am doing this challenge with a few friends, and so far we are loving it! Laurie K. is modifying this plan by reading through the Bible in Chronological order, so that's another option. (You can use the One Year Chronological Bible reading plan, listed below, and combine days to arrive at "90 days.")

The One Year Bible Reading Plans

If you have been wanting to start a Bible reading plan, TheOneYearBible.com has some great options. (Sherri Youngward talked about using The One Year Bible, NIV, at our spring retreat.) Here are some downloads if you want to follow the OYB plan but want to use your own Bible:

The One Year Bible Reading Plan.pdf

"Each day contains a passage from the Old Testament, the New Testament, Psalms, and Proverbs."

The One Year Chronological Bible Reading Plan.pdf

"The one year chronological reading plan contains the entire text of the bible arranged in the order the events actually occurred. This unique viewpoint allows you to read the whole Bible as a single story and to see the unfolding of God's plan in history."

Sherri Youngward's Free Bible Study Help

During the spring retreat, Sherri Youngward taught an impromtu class, "How to Study Your Bible." All of us were blessed to learn the very simple yet fruitful way that Sherri personally studies her Bible. Sherri's website has a free resource with the three easy steps you can use in your personal devotional time.

Click here to download her free Personal Bible Study Help.pdf.

(Thank you, Sherri, for sharing this with us! You are such a blessing! :)

Enjoy the Water, ladies!

Pam: Joy in the Lord

They grumbled in their tents and did not obey the Lord. Psalm 106:25

Yesterday my husband moved two of our steers and our bull from their familiar surroundings where they were content on acres of grassy pasture free to graze and move about with the rest of the herd to a much smaller area far away from their comfort zone where they have been bawling loudly and unceasingly, longing to return to what they knew and were accustomed to.

How often are our lives like that? We go about from day to day with our recurring schedules, comfortable with our jobs, who we hang out with, chores and even our devotional time has become routine, everything is habitual. Then the Lord rocks our world, adjusts what is familiar to us.

How do you react when the Lord makes alterations in your life? Do you joyfully take on the new challenges the He puts before you? Do you wait with great excitement and anticipation the opportunities He presents you? Or do allow the enemy delight in times like these, as he prowls about relishing every grumble and complaint you murmur when life isn’t exactly as you would have it?

In such times you must believe your strength is in the Lord; He will not leave you or forsake you. When the Lord takes you out of your comfort zone, gladly grab hold of His hand, talk to Him, humble yourself to Him, allow Him to lead the way and blessings will be heaped on you. The Lord wants you to know He loves you, you can trust in Him.

The Lord has done great things for us, and we are filled with joy. Psalm 126:3

Laurie: The Bible Experience

I can't even convey what my heart feels, when I try to tell people about this, so I thought if I blogged about it maybe I could get the right words.

When Elaina and Scott were tiny I'd read them a bedtime story, and a little out of a children's Bible. We'd say our "goodnights". I'd tuck them in. Then their favorite part, I'd pop in a cute storytime cassette, as they fell off to sleep; David and Goliath, Daniel in the Lion's Den, or even ones about kids learning to make right choices from one of the fruits of the Spirit.

Elaina says, these tapes at bedtime are still one of her favorite memories.

Listening to the Bible when I was young seemed like something for the elderly and now writing this at 46, I must be there :0) But I wholeheartedly wish I could have had a Bible like this for my kids to listen to when they were little.

It's called "The Bible Experience", and it truly has come to life!
I bought the Book of John for $3.95 and have listened to it several times. When you actually hear the voice portrayed as Jesus, you're in awe. His heartfelt laugh when He's talking with His disciples, makes you wish you were there. And when He's speaking to the crowds you hear the amazed wondering and excitement, and even the waves lapping at the shore of Galilee behind Him as He talks and teaches them.
When the Pharisees bring the woman caught in the very act of adultry, you hear their anger and their desire to see what Jesus will do. Then the woman's soft, fearful answers, in her own sobbing voice and Jesus' kindness and gentlesness.

It is all so amazing, I began to think, what if our children could have these to listen to over and over again, as they fall off to sleep. They could picture the very scenes in their little minds and have such love for this Jesus they're hearing. How well they would know the word and be used by God and what a profound impact they could have even as children and teenagers on their peers. They could know the word better than any of us, the word would be in them!

You can go to www.youtube.com and type in "The Bible Experience" and see.
May God Bless you and your children!

Shannon: The Trade

In light of Dave's Easter message yesterday, I dug out this old post from a few summer's ago.


The only things I can move right now, without wincing, are my fingertips. That's why you're getting a post.

If you watched me walk across the room this morning, you'd think I was trying to recover from injuries I sustained when I failed to jump my motorcycle over twenty brand new Mini Coopers down at Bellowin' Bob's Autos. Or at the very least, a mugging. But no. Mine are "exercise wounds," and lest we all forget--it's a "good" pain.

It's been a week of water aerobics, weight lifting, eliptical riding, walking and biking. No, I'm not training for the Iron Man. I'm trying to get back into my spring clothes.

I'd already had my belly full of exercise by yesterday afternoon, but Dave came home and said, "I brought you a surprise. Come outside and see." I followed him out to his truck and saw a new (to us) 14 speed, automatic shift bicycle--with shocks. It's really a beautiful bike, and I was so taken by his gesture that the words "Hey! Let's go for a ride!" popped out of my mouth before I saw the calamity coming.

He was all over that. "Yeah! Let's see how far down the trail we can get." Several months ago, a paved, 9 or so mile trail opened along our property. At any time of the day or night, you can watch a sea of roller bladers, bicyclists, walkers, and horse riders meander past our pasture.

Last week, an old shirtless guy with a Santa beard came riding up on his bike and told us there'd been reports of bear and bobcat sightings along the trail. I've never yet known a shirtless, Santa-bearded biker to lie, so when I went inside to grab my cell phone, I also grabbed my mace. Geared up, I headed back out and found that Dave had hooked up the air compressor and was filling the tire on my old bike. It was once beautiful, but the law of entropy has had its way with it. Parts of the shiny burgundy paint are covered with rust; the seat is somewhat moldy and ripped in one spot (the rip screams "Zac," but that won't hold up in court), and the kick stand wobbles.

I felt terrible that Dave was going to ride that old bike while I had this beautiful new bike, and I told him so. His answer? "I don't mind--I just like knowing you have a good, dependable bike."

He's like that. He'll take the dilapidated bike so I can ride the nice, new one. He was happy to take my old, simple cell phone so I could have the nice, new, picture-taking phone. He was perfectly content to take my old lap top so I could have a nice, new, faster model. He's very good to me.

So we had our ride. We went all the way to Lake Cassidy and then some. And sometime during the ride, maybe 50 minutes into it, I began to think about Dave's sacrifices and how often he puts me in mind of my other Groom--the One who was willing to take the punishment of the cross so I could have a new nature, a new name, and a brand new hope for the future.

I don't deserve to be this loved; I know that. But I'm glad ... and grateful.

The Trade

Mine was Your only sin
Yours is my only righteousness
Mine was Your only shame
Yours is my only confidence
You took all of me; I want all of You

Mine was the pain You bore
Yours is the healing I received
Mine was the nails and thorns
Yours is my life abundantly
You took all of me; I want all of You

I'm waiting here to feel Your touch
The weight of sin it seems so much
The freedom that You offer me is You

Mine was the the victory
Yours is the blood that purchased me
Mine is a blessed way
Yours is my love eternally
You took all of me; I want all of You
~ Brett Williams

Shannon: A Chance to Serve

I caught a little segment about Kathy Holmgren (wife of Seahawks' coach, Mike) early this morning. I've known from previous newsclips that she's very active in overseas missions and has missed many of her husband's games over the years because of trips she's taken to offer humanitarian aid. But this morning, they highlighted one of her local ministries.

Kathy, who has three health-care related master's degrees, works three days a week as a community health nurse (mostly for the homeless) at the Pike Market Medical Clinic. This morning, they showed her sitting cross-legged on the clinic floor, bathing and tending to the feet of a homeless man.

"I never feel more like a Christian than when I'm doing this," she said.

There was a beauty and a poignancy to the sight of Kathy bending over that man's feet that I'm not sure I can put to words. I doubt she knows the effect it had on those of us who watched.

Today, few of us will have an opportunity to bathe someone's feet. But all of us will have an opportunity to serve.

What might you do for Jesus today?

Shannon: From Kari's Blog

I read this on Kari's blog a few days ago and asked for permission to reprint it here at Joyful Life. I could so relate to Kari's thoughts--and Anne Morrow Lindbergh's (minus the cod liver oil :). I'm sure many of you will too.

Gift From the Sea-part one

I've been reading LOTS of books this year, mostly "self-help" type books. You know the ones, how to be a better whatever (fill in the blank with mother, wife, teacher, housekeeper, cook, Christian, etc.) I've also read several psychology books trying to learn more about narcissism and the impact it had on me as a child and how to overcome the past so I can live "a normal life" as an adult. But, the book that impacted me the most this year was Gift From the Sea by Anne Morrow Lindbergh. If I recall correctly, I was given this book as a teenager or young adult but I just didn't "get it" back then. I think one must have experienced a bit of life as a woman, mother, wife to receive its fullness. Reading it at 43 brought fresh insight into the author's wisdom. Mrs. Lindbergh is the wife of Charles Lindbergh, the famous aviator. Together they went through the tragedy of child abduction (their child was kidnapped, held for ransom, and eventually found dead back in the 1930s.) The book, originally written in the 50s, but so relevant for today, is her journal, of sorts, of time spent on the beach reconnecting with herself and with God, and finding that inner-balance that we as women so desperately seek. She uses the term "shedding" to describe how she must get to a simpler life.

From page 25 she writes, "I mean to lead a simple life, to choose a simple shell I can carry easily-like a hermit crab. But I do not. I find that my frame of life does not foster simplicity. My husband and five children must make their way in the world. The life I have chosen ... involves a house in the suburbs ... food and shelter; meals, planning, marketing, bills, and making the ends meet in a thousand ways. It involves not only the butcher, the baker, the candlestick-maker but countless other experts to keep my modern house with its modern "simplifications" running properly. It involves health; doctors, dentists, appointments, medicine, cod-liver oil, vitamins, trips to the drugstore. It involves education; spiritual, intellectual, physical; schools ... car-pools, extra trips for basketball or orchestra practice; tutoring; camps, camp equipment and transportation. It involves clothes, shopping, laundry, cleaning, mending, letting skirts down and sewing buttons on, or finding someone else to do it. It involves friends, my husband's, my children's, my own, and endless arrangements to get together; letters, invitations, telephone calls and transportation hither and yon."

This is SO my life and yet like Ms. Morrow I LONG for simplicity.

She goes on: "This is not the life of simplicity but the life of multiplicity ... It leads not to unification but to fragmentation. It does not bring grace; it destroys the soul."

"One learns first of all in beach living the art of shedding; how little one can get along with, not how much."

She speaks of shedding our vanity by living out of a small suitcase of clothing rather than a closet full. Shedding pride by letting go of our "Martha-like anxiety about many things." Shedding hypocrisy in relationships. Taking off the mask.

So what do I plan to shed this year--besides the few holiday pounds? I plan to shed the books about becoming a better anything. While it might help in the short term, I'm always left feeling unworthy or not good enough or worse, that I need "to do MORE." I'm letting go of the self-help and "how-to's." I feel a prompting to search for the answers in His Book. To sift what I have learned through the filter of God's word ALONE. If it's important for me to learn, the Holy Spirit will guide me in all truth. So, if I get the urge to "figure it all out," get a hankerin' for "what's new" in the library, or hear about the latest, greatest book on how to get closer to God, I plan to grab my Bible and a cup of tea instead.

It was for freedom that Christ set us free; therefore keep standing firm and do not be subject again to a yoke of slavery. ...if you are lead by the Spirit, you are not under the law (Galatians 5:1,18).

Pam: Storms Of Life

As I stand at my kitchen sink washing up the dishes from my lunchtime meal, I gaze out the window and take note of the festivities that have begun. The trees begin their dance, wiggling, jiggling swaying to and fro moving to the music of the plastic covering on the wood, flapping out its irresistible beat. The wind chimes join in, bong, bong...tingle, bang, bong with the sporadic bump against the window to make sure you're paying attention. The water in the creek can't resist and takes part with a splish-splash of tiny waves keeping rhythm licking at the shore. Not to be left out, the barn door drums out a steady thump, thump, rattle, rattle, rattle, rattle, thump thump while giant clouds looming overhead fill the ever darkening sky. Finally the foreseeable procession begins pitter-pattering its way through at first while gaining momentum with each minute that passes until at last the fullness of its strength engulfs us, relentlessly pouring to the earth, beckoning all to join the torrential express, pulling along anything and everything that is movable, not with solid anchor, both willing and unwilling.

Such are the storms of our lives. They creep in slowly, so subtle in fact you may miss the first signs. Then before you know it, often without warning, you are in the midst of a trial. The question is, are you anchored to the Rock or are you wavering on shifting sand? When the dark clouds loom over your head do you allow yourself to be pulled loose, swept away like the gravel and rocks that flow down the road or are you securely affixed, knowing Jesus is in control? Take hold of the Savior's hand, cling to it tightly as you experience the seasons of you life ever anticipating your eternal reward.

I love the words of Elisha A. Hoffman and Anthony J. Showalter:

What a fellowship, what a joy divine, leaning on the everlasting arms.
What a blessedness, what a peace is mine, leaning on the everlasting arms.
Oh how sweet to walk in this pilgrim way, leaning on the everlasting arms.
Oh how bright the path grows from day to day, leaning on the everlasting arms.
What have I to dread, what have I to fear, leaning on the everlasting arms.
I have blessed peace with my Lord so near, leaning on the everlasting arms.
Leaning on Jesus, safe and secure from all alarms.
Leaning on Jesus, leaning on the everlasting arms.

Psalm 23:4 ~ Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death I will fear no evil for You are with me; Your rod and your staff they comfort me.

Shannon: Forget it

Not that I have already obtained all this, or have already been made perfect, but I press on to take hold of that for which Christ Jesus took hold of me. Brothers, I do not consider myself yet to have taken hold of it. But one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus" (Philippians 3:12-14).

When Zac was nine, he played his one and only year of football. I was a nervous wreck most of that season, envisioning broken collar bones and head injuries and the like--but that's probably the subject of another post.

What I remember most from that season was a single play that happened during what we have since referred to as "the mud bowl." The boys played their last game on a field absolutely covered in mud. In most places, no field lines were visible. And you could tell they loved every gooey step.

In the last few minutes of the game, with Zac's team behind by a touchdown, the quarterback threw a pass to an unlikely target. The boy who looked down at the ball in his hand was a very tall, very gangly child who hadn't received a pass all season. He hadn't wanted to receive a pass. I think he enjoyed being out there with the others, but he never showed any signs of wanting to be part of the action. Today, he was.

For a split second, he just stared at that ball. And then, rising to the shouts of the parents on the sideline, he began running. Those long legs made for long strides, and at first, it looked like he would easily outrun the other boys. But after only a half-dozen steps, he turned over his shoulder and looked back. The pack was coming on strong. "Keep running!" we all shouted. He ran a few more steps, and looked over his shoulder again. And again, it slowed him enough that the stampeding boys made up a bit of ground.

Despite all our screaming--"Don't look back! Keep running!"--the child couldn't help himself. And though I think he could have easily made it to the end zone, he didn't. With just feet to go, one last look over his shoulder gave those tacklers the pause they needed ... and they brought him down.

Over the years, every time I read that verse in Philippians 3, I am reminded of that boy, and of the pack of hungry boys chasing at his heels. And I remember this about our enemy: he chases too. And his greatest goal is to bring us down.


Satan's great desire is to keep us looking back. He loves to bring up the past, because I think he knows that if he can get us looking over our shoulders, he can keep us from looking ahead. He can keep us in a state of despair, or hopelessness, or shame. Who among us has not made mistakes, and many of them? But our Father's forgiveness is vast ... and eternal. He doesn't remember those things He's already cleansed us of, so why should we?

When the choice is put to you, which would you rather spend your time doing: looking back at all your mistakes (which always look ugliest over your shoulder), or looking forward to the moment when you get your first glimpse of the face you most long to see; when you get a first look into those eyes that have watched you with compassion from the moment of your conception?

Life is too short to spend it analyzing the past, digging at our scabs, and regretting our mistakes. Today is a new day. God's mercies are new in it. We've turned a new page on a new year. And all the best is ahead.

This could be the year that Jesus returns for us. Let's spend these seconds, minutes and hours He's given us in working for His kingdom and anticipating His return. Let's thank God for the gracious cleansing of all our sins, and then leave the past where it belongs--behind us.

"Forget the former things; do not dwell on the past. See, I am doing a new thing! Now it springs up; do you not perceive it? I am making a way in the desert and streams in the wasteland" (Isaiah 43:18-19).

Laurie: Immanuel

"The Spirit of the LORD is upon Me
Because He has annointed Me
To preach the gospel to the poor;
He has sent Me to heal the
brokenhearted,
To proclaim liberty to the captives
And recovery of sight to the blind.
To set at liberty those who are
oppressed;
To proclaim the acceptable year of
the LORD."
Then He closed the book, and gave it
back to the attendant and sat down. And
the eyes of all who were in the synagogue
were fixed on Him.

And He began to say to them, "Today
this Scripture is fulfilled in your hearing."
So all bore witness to Him, and marveled
at the gracious words which proceeded
out of His mouth.... Luke 4:18-22

This is the reason I came My beloved.

Who are the poor among you?
Those who don't know Me, they wander about
crying out, but don't know what for.
Who are the broken hearted?
You see them everywhere you go. Lost and
alone, divorced or cruelly mistreated. That's
what this world does to people. It draws them in
with false promises and then spits them out.
Who are the captives?
Aren't they the ones who are captivated by this
world and all it has to offer, not hearing My
whispers to try to capture their hearts.
Who are the blind?
They have left Me and are no longer thankful.
The cares of this world have swallowed them up,
the hurts and disappointments have overrun
their minds and consumed them.
And who are the oppressed?
They are those who the enemy keeps from my call.
I call out day and night, but they are restrained.

This is why I came, into a hurting world.
I see your hurt, I see your pain, I see your very
need.
I am the way, the truth, and the life.

You need a Savior, you need a Redeemer, a Healer,
a Comforter, You need the truth
to set you free.

All who labor and are heavy laden, aren't you
weary of laboring?
I am gentle and lowly in heart. I will give you
rest for your souls.

Come to Me.

For unto us a child is born,
Unto us a Son is given;
and the government will be upon His
shoulder.
And His name will be called
Wonderful, Counselor, Mighty God,
Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. Is. 9:6

I came, because I love you.

Pam: Are You Ready?

During the week I am very blessed to be able to care for my
sweel little Granddaughter, Makenna. Day after day we'll read books, play games, or do fun farm chores. However, occasionally we'll do our own things. But no matter what we are doing one thing is for sure, you can count on Makenna's mouth being in a
perpetual state of chatter. She is a talker!

Recently, I was in my kitchen baking a batch of cookies for the week when I noticed it had gotten way too quiet. I called out, "Makenna, what are you doing?" No answer! That's not good I thought as I heard her rustling around in the guest bedroom. Again I called out, "Makenna, what are you doing?" then through the door she stepped, beaming with such a wonderful look of self satisfaction and she said "Oh getting ready." I chuckled (to myself of course), as I looked at this precious Angel dressed in a lavender sleevless dance costume dotted with pink roses and white fringed skirt, a velvet cape to kind of match, knitted lavender winter gloves, a turquoise crushed hat, socks, and slippers I had knit covered her feet. A basket drapped with a pink wash cloth hung over one arm while a lime green fleece bag draped over the other, both filled with her very best treasures. She was indeed ready!

Later, with Kenna in mind, I reflected on all the time we spend year after year getting ready for one thing or another. Each morning we wake and get ready to face the day. We pick out our clothes, comb our hair, eat breakfast while deciding what task will consume our thoughts and energy. In the summer we get ready for the winter, in the winter we make ready for summer, but how much time do we spend getting ready for heaven, our eternal home?

It is essential that we daily read our Bibles, hide God's word in our hearts, do the work of the Lord and pray, pray without ceasing. Jesus could come back at any moment. We're told in Matthew 25:13 Keep watch because you do not know the day or the hour.

So let's get ready and stay ready for the day we can shout "Welcome back Lord Jesus!"




Therefore, my dear brothers, stand firm. Let nothing move you. Always give yourselves fully to the work of the Lord, because you know that your labor in the Lord is not in vain. 1Corinthians 15:58

Fran: Who are you?

Have you ever noticed that people tend to live up to your expectations of them? I have a family member who has a reputation for being late. We talked about it one time and she told me that no matter how many times she wasn’t late, she still couldn’t change the reputation so she figured why fight it? If she was going to be harassed for being late anyway, she might as well be!

Unfortunately, I’ve known several people who were told all their lives that they were stupid, worthless and good for nothing. Guess how they turned out? Believing those lies and living up to them.

It works the other way too though. You’ve probably heard stories of how someone kept pressing toward a goal simply because someone else believed in them. They were told they were smart, funny, gifted, etc. and they believed it. They lived their lives believing it and accomplishing great things.

We hear a lot of voices in our world today telling us who we are. Unfortunately, most of what we hear isn’t true.

What is the truth? That can be answered by asking the question; “Who does God say that I am?”

God’s word says:

I am made in the image of God. (Genesis 1:26-27)

I am a child of God (John 1:12)

I am a temple–a dwelling place–of God. His Spirit and His life live in me (1 Corinthians 3:16)

I am a saint (Ephesians 1:18)

I am righteous and holy (4:24)

I am chosen and appointed by Christ to bear His fruit (John 5:16)

I am God’s workmanship–His handiwork–born anew in Christ to do good works (Ephesians 2:10)

I am chosen of God, holy and dearly loved (Colossians 3:12)

I will resemble Christ when He returns (1 John 3:1-2)

I am fearfully and wonderfully made (Psalm 139:14)

I am God’s treasured possession (Deuteronomy 14:2)

I can do all things through Christ, who strengthens me. (Philippians 4:13)

“Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in the heavenly realms with every spiritual blessing in Christ. For He chose us in Him before the creation of the world to be holy and blameless in His sight. In love He predestined us to be adopted as His sons through Jesus Christ, in accordance with His pleasure and will–to the praise of His glorious grace, which He has freely given us in the One he loves. In Him we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of sins, in accordance with the riches of God’s grace that He lavished on us with all wisdom and understanding.” (Ephesians 1:3-8)

The things written above are the truth; about me, about you and about everyone who belongs to Christ. We have value in Him; far more than the world knows, far more than we comprehend.

Lord, I pray that you would help us know just how great Your love for us truly is. Please help us to remember who we are in You and live like we believe it. Please help us to also remember the value of our fellow believers and to treat them accordingly. Thank You, Lord, for all You have done for us. We wait anxiously for Your return. We love You.

Amen.

Laurie: His Royal Bounty

O Father, my heart is yearning for more time with you after Pastor Jon's message last night, at Home Fellowship.

He spoke about Amos 8:11, "That in the last days there will be a famine of hearing the words of the LORD." (Plural) Not preaching and teaching the Word, because we can hear the Word Sundays and Wednesdays, on the internet, on ipods, on TV, at seminars and conferences--we have as much of the Word as we want. But it's Your words we're not hearing, Lord.

You show me that we come to church desiring to worship and give offerings and to hear Your heart, but our lives are still a mess. Nothing we try seems to work; we are restless and weary and we wonder, why? Our marriages are the same as the worlds'. We can't understand each other. Our kids are struggling with life.

Are we in captivity?

In Amos 5:21-27, God says, "I hate, I despise your feast days and I do not savor your sacred assemblies....though you offer offerings to Me, I will not accept them...Take away the noise of your songs....did you not offer Me sacrifices and offerings forty years in the wilderness?....You also carried.....your gods and idols, which you made for yourselves. Therefore I will send you into captivity, says the LORD, whose name is the God of hosts."

Psalm 106:13-15 They soon forgot His works; they did not wait for His counsel. But lusted exceedingly in the wilderness, and tested God in the desert. And He gave them their request, but sent leanness into their soul.

Do we think we are any different?

We can't hear His words to us. We have so many gods (distractions) to keep us from Him. Do we think gods and idols are only statues put on a shelf? They are whatever keeps us from coming to His throne. The stores are full, the TV is full, magazines, books and novels, music, lusts for other things, cares for this world. Where can we go next, what can we buy next, what can we make next, hours of TV, (who's on Larry King tonight), on and on. Constant noise.

Then reading in 1 Kings 10:1-13 and 2 Chr. 9:1-12 today You added even more, LORD.

The queen of Sheba came to Solomon because she had heard of his fame and his relation to the name of the LORD. She came with hard questions and talked with him about all that she had on her mind. Solomon answered all of her questions; nothing was too hard for the king to explain to her. When the queen of Sheba saw all the wisdom of Solomon and the palace he had made, the food on his table, the seating of his officials, the attending servants in their robes, his cupbearers, and the burnt offerings he made at the temple of the LORD, she was overwhelmed. She said to the king, "'Your achievements and wisdom are true. But I did not believe these things until I came and saw with my own eyes. Indeed not even half was told me of your wisdom and wealth...how happy your men and officials must be who continually stand before you and hear your wisdom. Praise be to the LORD your God!' King Solomon gave to the queen of Sheba all she desired and asked for, besides what he had given her out of his royal bounty. Then she left & returned to her own country."

In Matthew 12:42 Jesus said, "The queen of the south,(Sheba), will rise up in the judgment with this generation and condemn it, for she came from the ends of the earth to hear the wisdom of Solomon; and indeed a greater than Solomon is here." Commentaries say she may have come from southern Arabia--a 1200-mile camel ride across hot deserts.

Yet we can't even get up an hour or two early to come and lay before Your feet, to seek Your words. To talk with You about all that is on our minds, to ask You the hard questions and to bring You gifts of praise and adoration for all You've done. We can't see that only half was told us of Your wisdom and wealth, until we come and see with our own eyes.

Hebrews 4:16 says, "Let us therefore come boldly to the throne of grace that we may obtain mercy and find grace to help in time of need."

Have you come and laid in His presence lately? Maybe you don't feel worthy enough to see yourself laying before His throne. Try picturing yourself laying under the cross first, with His blood dripping down upon you, cleansing and forgiving you. Then come and bring your gifts of praise and see what He has from His royal bounty for you.

Sylvia: In Thanks And Adoration

My dear, loving Father,

First I want to thank You for all that You have done for me. You called me out of darkness when I was a poor, blind, naked wretch of a woman, drowning in sorrow. You knew that I needed You, even when I didn't, so You pursued me with Your love until You won me over. You loved me first. How romantic! Who says there is no such thing as a knight in shining armor?

I want to thank You for watching over me in the midst of my joys and sorrows. For choosing the right husband for me who has shown me how Jesus loves me. For never leaving me when my world seemed to crash down all around me when I got pregnant and found out that Noelle would have so many struggles in her life. For never leaving me when it took me longer than I would have liked to move beyond my grief. For making Your presence so real to me when Noelle was struggling for her life in the hospital.

I love you for comforting me with Your word and presence when Jason wanted to go live with his dad who doesn't know you and doesn't want to. Yet. For seeing me through the loss of so many loved ones when my church imploded. For removing us from there and then restoring some of those loved ones to me in Your perfect time. For teaching me so many valuable lessons from it all.

I thank you for bringing us to a strong, healthy church family where people love us and are patient with our sometimes slow process of growth and healing. I am grateful for Jeff's successful business in our home. What a wonderful, unexpected blessing that has turned out to be and I have to give You all the glory for it because it is so obvious that You orchestrated the whole thing!

I praise You for protecting me and never giving up on me, in my rebellion, before I gave my life to You. I was involved in so many wicked things and You waited for me with such patience and long-suffering. I am thankful for Your patience that is with me still, as a silly little girl, in my walk with You now. I am so grateful that You promised to complete the work that You have begun because there is still so much work to do and that you have even used me on occasion and allowed me to see it.

I thank You for promising me that when this life has been fulfilled here on earth that I have an eternal life waiting for me with You. That this world is not all there is but my life has meaning and purpose here, although I won't always understand what that is.

I love You and praise You for being in control even when everything seems to be spinning out of control. I thank You for helping me with the emotional difficulties that can come with the symptoms of Peri-menopause. What a mind-bender that was! Yet You are even the God of that!

With all that You are and all that You've done, not only in my life but throughout the ages, how can I not love You? But even so, sometimes my love falls so short. And yet You still encourage me to walk and move forward. You are still at my side and You still speak loving-kindness to me.

What an amazing God You are! I thank You, I love You, I adore You, I praise You and Honor You!

Your little girl,
Sylvia

Sylvia: Contentment

As a stay-at-home mommy this late in my life, I find myself being tempted from time to time to be discontent. Truth be known, I'm probably not the only one. It is so easy to find ourselves wishing for a better this or different that, isn't it? The world around us is saturated in discontent and it's so easy to be influenced and drawn into it. All we have to do is watch a few TV commercials and soon we can want what we can't afford and desire to be who we cannot be.

Any time I find myself in this state for whatever reason, mommyitis or restlessness, I have to come back to the place where I know that the deepest longing of my heart is for a closer relationship with Jesus. He is the true longing of my soul. Nothing or no one else will ever fill the yearning and desires of our hearts. Not works, power, position, food, men, drugs, booze, jewelry, clothes, cars or mansions. And the list goes on.

The apostle Paul tells us in Philippians 4:11 that he learned to be content in any situation, whether in plenty or not enough, humbled or exalted. He knew his strength to endure and overcome came from the Lord. In Hebrews 13:5 we are challenged to be content and given the reason why ... because Jesus said that He would never leave us nor forsake us. My desire is to be content in Jesus, in the life that He has given me and the calling that He has placed on that life. I desire that for you too because that is where peace and joy are found--in contentment.

I read a poem the other morning that so touched my heart that I really wanted to share it with you. Whoever wrote this poem seems like a Godly woman. She just wanted to serve her King not realizing that she was doing just that, right in the place where he had her. Discontentment had come in and robbed her of her peace and joy. It was only when she accepted His will for her life that she became still.

I longed to walk along an easy road,

And leave behind the dull routine of home,

Thinking in other fields to serve my God;

But Jesus said, "My time has not yet come."

I longed to sow the seed in other soil,

To be unfettered in the work and free,

To join in other laborers in their toil;

But Jesus said, " 'Tis not My choice for thee."

I longed to leave the desert, and be led

To work where souls were sunk in sin and shame,

That I might win them; but the Master said,

"I have not called thee, publish here my name."

I longed to fight the battles of my King,

Lift high His standards in the thickest strife;

But my great Captain bade me wait and sing

Songs of His conquest in my quiet life.

I longed to leave the uncongenial sphere,

Where all alone I seemed to stand and wait,

To feel I had some human helper near,

But Jesus bade me guard one lonely gate.

I longed to leave the round of daily toil,

Where no one seemed to understand or care;

But Jesus said, "I choose for thee this soil,

That thou might'st raise for me some blossoms rare."

And now I have no longing but to do

At home, or else afar, His blessed will,

To work amid the many or the few;

Thus, "choosing not to choose," my heart is still.

-Selected.

God bless you, dearest ladies.

Shannon: Blue Letter Bible links

Tonight at our women's ministry kick-off, I'll be referring to the Blue Letter Bible site and specifically, to this first link--a lexicon page, where you can type in an English word and it will tell you the various Greek or Hebrew meanings to that word, as well as all the occurrences in Scripture.

Rather than trying to spell out the addresses, I'll link to them here and refer the women to our site.

Blue Letter Bible--Lexicon (for when you don't know the Strong's number--just the English word)

Blue Letter Bible--Strong's (for when you do know the Strong's number)

Blue Letter Bible--Word Search (type in a word at the top of the right-hand menu and it will search the dictionary information from Nave's, Vines, Torrey's, Hitchcock's, Easton's Dictionaries, and the Thematic Subject Guide)

I hope you're all planning to be there! I'm looking forward to another wonderful year with our ladies.

Laurie: Fear of the LORD (Pt.2)

But thanks be to God for His indescribable gift! (II Cor. 9:15)

Father, when we realize we can't live up to Your holiness, when we can't be good enough, and know we could never bring enough animals to lay before Your altar to please You....And yet we desire to be holy, and see weakness, struggle and impossibility. Then we fall to our knees, knowing we need a Savior, (Jesus Christ), who willingly died because of His great love. And what we find in Him is our Great High Priest...who has compassion and sympathy with our weaknesses, because He was tempted in all the same ways as we are, yet He was without sin. (Hebrews 4:14, 15)

My little children, these things I write to you, so that you may not sin. And if anyone sins, we have an Advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous. And He Himself is the propitiation for our sins, and not for ours only but also for the whole world. (1 John 2:1, 2)

For by one offering He has perfected forever those who are being sanctified....and their sins and their lawless deeds I will remember no more. (Hebrews 10:14, 17)

There is therefore now no condemnation to those who are in Christ Jesus, who do not walk according to the flesh, but according to the Spirit. (Romans 8:1)

Come, all who are weary and heavy laden and I will give you rest. (Matthew 11:28)

Come, boldly to the throne of grace, to find mercy and grace to help in time of need. (Hebrews 4:16)

Come, to the waters; and you who have no money, come buy and eat...without money and without price. (Isaiah 55:1)

Come, and drink of the water of life freely! (Revelation 22:17)

Laurie: Fear of the LORD

This morning in my quiet time, I was reading the first few chapters of Leviticus, and the Lord started speaking to my heart. I had always thought that the priests took the animals from the people and sacrificed them, and then their sins were forgiven. But here it said they (the people themselves) were to bring their animal and slaughter it, skin it, cut it into pieces, and wash its inner parts and legs with water. Then Aaron's sons would sprinkle its blood on the altar, build a fire and arrange the pieces and burn all of it, as an aroma pleasing to the LORD.

That really struck me. I used to think we'd be so poor if we lived back then, because as sinners we'd need to bring an animal every day for the priest to make a sacrifice for us. But now, Lord, You show me that I would have to kill that animal. I would have to cut its throat and hear its cries. As I thought about this today, I begin to see sin for what it really is.

"Horrible" isn't a bad enough word and yet we come to you day after day asking for forgiveness for the same sins. Animal after animal we would have had to kill. Are we really sorry? Or is it that we can just come and hand our sins to You, our High Priest and forget Your blood, forget Your innocence, forget Your crying out when we drove the spike through Your feet?

My hand did kill You!

Shannon: E.E.'s "How to Know God"

This morning in my quiet time, I was reading Elizabeth Elliot's A Lamp For My Feet and came upon this:

How to Know God

The order of the Christian's assignment is: hear, do, know. If we hear the commandments and obey them, the Father will make Himself known to us. It is no use trying to know Him without doing what He says. To listen to one word and go out and obey it is better than having the most exalted "religious experience," for it puts us in touch with God Himself--it is a willed response.

"If you really love me you will keep the commandments I have given you." It is perilously easy to imagine that we love God because we like the idea of God, or because we feel drawn to Him. The only valid test of love is obedience. Take one thing commanded and start doing it. Take one thing forbidden and stop doing it. Then we are on the sure road to knowing God. There is no other.

"You are my friends, if you do what I command you" (Jn 15:14 NEB).

"The man who has received my commands and obeys them--he it is who loves me: and he who loves me will be loved by my Father; and I will love him and disclose myself to him" (Jn 14:21). There is the order: hear, do, know.

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What wonderfully simple advice. All of us can stop doing one thing and start doing one thing. And if the end result is knowing God, isn't today a good day to start?