Speaking…I mean Texting Their Language

Melissa Taylor

"Train up a child in the way he should go. Even when he is old he will not depart from it." Proverbs 22:6 (NASB)

"I'm not joining Facebook and I'm not texting you. Don't text message me either. If you want to tell me something, you'll have to speak to me! You kids don't know how to have conversations anymore," said the grandfather.

His granddaughter replied, "But Grandpa, you are missing out on so much in my life." Grandpa said sternly, "I don't care."

This conversation, which I overheard, stuck with me for days. I bet Grandpa did care. He just didn't know how to relate to his granddaughter, and new technology probably scared him. I admit it scares me too. I'm not fond of change, but I have to face the facts: the world is changing, with or without me.

When my children were younger, breakfast time consisted of a meal, devotion, and Bible reading together. I didn't work outside the home like I do now, so I had time in the morning to devote just to my kids. Now my time is much different; not only do I have to make sure the kids are ready, but I have to be ready too. There are six people running around, fighting for two bathrooms, grabbing a quick bite to eat, and racing out the door. I miss the simpler times when we weren't so busy. I especially miss the intentional time spent teaching my children what I consider most important: God's Word. It seemed so much easier to "train up a child" when they were younger.

Watching my son, Hayden, with his lightning speed thumbs typing out text messages on his cell phone one evening, a thought entered my head. Would it make a difference if I text my kids a Bible verse each day? Quickly I dismissed the thought, thinking it silly to send a message to their phones, when they really should be reading God's Word for themselves. Then I thought of Grandpa. His refusal to his granddaughter and her reply about him missing out on her life saddened me. I decided I didn't want to be like Grandpa.

Texting my kids a verse each day may not radically change their lives, but then again it might. I wondered, Would Jesus text if He were here today?

While on earth, Jesus used language His audience understood, depending on where He was and the culture of that area. His purpose and message did not change, but His delivery and presentation sometimes did. He did whatever it took to reach the people. He walked, rode, sailed, and taught at homes, hillsides, banquets, and dinner tables. I bet if it had been possible back then, He would have texted too.

It's been about six months since I started texting Bible verses to my children. Usually I get a response like "thanks" or no response at all, but sometimes I'll receive a verse back. I send them all the same verse so if the opportunity arises, we can all talk about it together. Texting works for us because I am speaking their language. The message hasn't changed, but the delivery has for the purpose of effectiveness. My son, Dylan, even shared with me that sometimes he forwards the verse to a friend or two.

Texting may not be my favorite way to communicate, but if it ministers to my kids, I don't want to refuse it. It's just one more way I can continue to "train up" my children. Is there a way God is calling you to change in order to communicate more effectively with someone in your life?

Dear Lord, change is hard for me, but if there is a way You'd like for me to change for the sake of another, then I will try. With Your help all things are possible. In Jesus' Name, Amen.

Related Resources:
Do You Know Him?

Visit Melissa’s blog and find out how you can receive Melissa’s “Top 10 Ways to Connect with Your Children.”

Authentic Parenting in a Postmodern Culture by Mary E. DeMuth

Family Driven Faith: Doing What it Takes to Raise Sons and Daughters Who Walk with God by Voddie Baucham, Jr.

Parenting Your Teen and Loving It: Being the Mom Your Kids Need by Susie Davis

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Application Steps:
Think of one way you can change to better connect with someone in your life.

Reflections:
As a mom, am I doing my best to connect with my kids?

Am I stubborn like Grandpa or willing like Jesus?

Power Verses:
Psalm 119:105, "Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light for my path." (NIV)

Matthew 19:26, "With man this is impossible, but with God all things are possible." (NIV)

Proverbs 31:28-29, "Her children arise and call her blessed; her husband also, and he praises her: 'Many women do noble things, but you surpass them all.'" (NIV)
　
© 2010 by Melissa Taylor. All rights reserved.

Other Mothers

Karen Ehman

"I thank my God every time I remember you." Philippians 1:3 (NIV)

Syrupy, sentimental greeting cards carefully chosen the night before. A hand-made art project fashioned to be a practical, pretty potholder. Soft, pastel tissue-paper flowers twisted into a creative corsage, sure to be the envy of all the church ladies. A simple bottle of over-powering perfume purchased from the local dollar store. All delights designed to impress one very special lady.

Yep, Mother's Day is upon us again.

While many use this time to thank the mothers and grandmothers in their lives, each May I like to also remember my "other mothers." Women who touched my life, imparted their wisdom and shaped my character.

My Aunt Patty holds a treasured place in my childhood memories. Though our states sat side-by-side in the Mid-west, we had to travel an entire day down and around Lake Michigan in order to reach her home. As a result, we only saw each other about once a year. When we did, she never seemed to be in a hurry but always had plenty of time to talk or read to me. She would gently brush the rat's nest out of my waist-length blond hair when I'd been oh-so-lax in fending the snarly tangles off. She'd ask me to sing for her or perform the cheer I'd created for team tryouts. Though we still see each other no more than once a year, if I close my eyes, I can smell her sweet perfume; White Shoulders. Her very presence made this rough and tumble tomboy long to be just like her when I grew up; pretty, sweet and gentle.

I thank my God every time I remember my Aunt Patty.

Dee was my youth pastor's wife. Her cheerful smile made this awkward teenager feel completely confidant and right at home. Her house smelled of apple-cinnamon tea and her door, like her heart, was always open. Miss Dee's fridge never seemed to lack the needed ingredients for an impromptu teenage bash. In no time flat, she'd whip up a huge batch of taco salad, pull some cookies hot out of the oven and pour our favorite flavors of soda in glasses. Her family room transformed into a haven where we could ask questions, discover answers and just be ourselves. Being around Dee made me want to be a woman whose very life, like hers, says, "Welcome."

I thank my God every time I remember sweet Miss Dee.

Mrs. Esch lived across the street. Some in our neighborhood wrote me off, seeing only a latch-key kid from a broken home, desperate for attention. Not Mrs. Esch. She looked deeper. She purposefully discovered my interests, and learned all she could about them, even going so far as to join a softball team with me. She talked to me about what I wanted to do with my life some day. Most of all, she sensed in me an innate need to be introduced to the God who promises to be a Father to the fatherless. It was through this young mother of two that I became a follower of Christ. Soon after, she began to talk to me about "my calling," excitedly insisting she just knew God was going to use me in ministry one day. Thirty-one years later, she is now on my prayer team; the team that prays for me as I write and travel to speak.

I thank my God every time I remember my mentor Mrs. Esch.

Think about your life. Who were (or are) your "other mothers"? The ones whom you thank God for every time you remember them? And what about the younger women in your life right now? Perhaps God is calling you to be an "other mother" to a soul who needs a little guidance this side of heaven. You can give her a smile; a tender touch of grace, some taco salad, or a verbal "I believe in you!"

Women connecting with each other to encourage and dream and is a sweet aroma to Jesus.

Dollar-store perfume optional.

Dear Lord, I thank You for the other mothers you strategically placed in my path. Help me to be an encouragement, a loving shoulder and a voice of truth to other females in my life pointing them only to You. In Jesus' Name, Amen.

Related Resources:
For an opportunity to share a memory of your other mother and to enter to win a girlfriends basket-in-a-box giveaway, visit Karen’s blog

A Life that Says Welcome by Karen Ehman

Homespun Memories For The Heart by Karen Ehman

Application Steps:
Send a hand-written note to one of your "other mothers." If she is no longer alive, attempt to locate some of her family members. Let them know how greatly she influenced you and how you thank God every time you remember her.

Reflections:
Is there someone to whom you serve as an "other mother"? What is something tangible you can do for her to show God's love?

Power Verses:
John 19:26-27, "When Jesus saw his mother there, and the disciple whom he loved standing nearby, he said to his mother, "Dear woman, here is your son," and to the disciple, "Here is your mother." From that time on, this disciple took her into his home." (NIV)

© 2010 by Karen Ehman. All rights reserved.

Backwards Bumper-Stickers

Karen Ehman

"But the LORD said to Samuel, 'Do not look on his appearance or on the height of his stature, because I have rejected him. For the LORD sees not as man sees: man looks on the outward appearance, but the LORD looks on the heart.'" I Samuel 16:7 (ESV)

Yesterday, when I was finished running—okay, so it was more of a slow trot—anyway, as I was leaving the gym where I work out, I ran into an old friend. She is a woman who attended the church where my husband was on staff twenty years ago when we were first married. She was raising her kids when he was the youth pastor and she saw us begin our family with the birth of our daughter Mackenzie, who is soon to turn 19.

Naturally, the conversation turned to where her children are now—marriage, kids, careers, location, etc. She asked what the future held for our three kids. Where would they go to college? What career path would they choose? She has offspring who all ended up in high-paying, prestigious careers, including one who is a prominent surgeon.

That afternoon encounter made me think about what we say 'success' is, especially when it comes to our sons and daughters. Is it having kids who grow up to do a job that society deems important? How do we measure success in our kids when they are still young and in our homes? Is it by having ones who are outwardly obedient, saying 'yes ma'am' and 'no sir' and 'pleased to meet you' on cue?

The more seasoned I become as a mom, the more I find this to be true: obedience, while it manifests itself in outward actions, begins in the heart. While I want to teach my kids to behave—sometimes not an easy lesson to instill—more importantly, I want to teach them to have their hearts right with God.

I used to want kids who did no wrong. Now, I have a different goal. When they do do wrong—as all kids and adults sometimes do—I want them to correct it rather than hide it. To be sensitive to the times they hurt someone's feelings or disobey God and His wishes. Then to listen to the Spirit's prompting, admit their fault, and right the wrong. I want the very same thing for myself.

As today's verse asserts, so often we humans look at what we can see on the outside—beauty, talents, smarts and such. God sees straight to the heart—motives, intent and character. His measuring stick is far more accurate and important than ours. So many spend countless hours and dollars perfecting the former while completely ignoring the latter. God's Word to us is clear. Who we are inside is really who we are.

One year, our daughter proudly brought home a bumper sticker we could display on our aging mini-van. Having completed seven years of scripture memory at our church's children's program, her sticker read, "My child earned a Timothy Award in AWANA." She had worked diligently and were we ever proud of her!

However, her younger siblings did not have the same knack for memorization nor the academic leanings she had. They too plugged away at their verses and assignments in the same program but just couldn't quite finish all the requirements for earning that high award and its accompanying bumper sticker.

It made me think, should we only be proud of outward skills and academic outcomes? Perhaps we should be just as pleased with character qualities and whole-hearted attempts that, on the outside, seem to fall short. Maybe we should be just as thrilled to display the following bumper sticker prominently on our family vehicle:

"Proud parent of a kid who nearly flunked math, but whose heart is tender toward the Lord."

Dear Lord, help me strive to please You most with my inward self—my motives, intent and character— and to model for those in my life the importance of doing just that. I want who I am at the core to accurately reflect who You are to the world. In Jesus' Name, Amen.

Related Resources:
For more on this topic and a chance to enter an “Inward Beauty” giveaway, visit Karen’s blog

A Life that Says Welcome by Karen Ehman

Do You Know Him?

Mining for Gold in the Heart of Your Child Character Chart by Renee Swope

You Are Special by Max Lucado

Application Steps:
Name two or three people whom you feel display truly beautiful character. What about their personality makes them stand out?

Reflections:
What inward, God-honoring qualities do you most wish you possessed?

Patience? Peace? Self-control? Kindness? Faith? Perseverance? Pick one. Then, search BibleGateway for verses about this quality to memorize.

Power Verses:
I Peter 3:3-4, "Do not let your adorning be external—the braiding of hair and the putting on of gold jewelry, or the clothing you wear— but let your adorning be the hidden person of the heart with the imperishable beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit, which in God's sight is very precious." (ESV)

© 2010 by Karen Ehman. All rights reserved.

I Want to Leave a Legacy

Melanie Chitwood

"I will sing of the lovingkindness of the Lord forever; to all generations I will make known your faithfulness with my mouth." Psalm 89:1 (NAS)

What do your children think of when they think of you? Their answers would be very revealing, wouldn't they? One day in early elementary school, Zachary came home with a Mother's Day picture he'd created for me. In the middle was a lovely portrait of me, wearing a dress made in my favorite colors of pink and purple. Then around the picture his teacher had told him to write four different words to describe his mom. He wrote: reading, napping, chocolate chip cookies, and laughing. His words made me smile with their accuracy.

Every day we are leaving our fingerprints on our kids. What do we want our children to think of when they think of their parents? A mom who was gentle and firm in her discipline or a mom who flew off the handle easily? A mom who seemed permanently attached to her phone or a mom who was available for life's big and small moments? A mom who occasionally went to church or a mom whose love of God was a part of her everyday life?

A legacy can be defined as "something handed down." Every day through our words and actions we are developing a legacy to be carried in the character of our children. It's easy for the busyness of life to keep you from being purposeful in your parenting. Let's decide today to leave the legacy we really want. Let's make sure it's a legacy not born of busyness and urgency, but one born of purposefulness and prayer.

It always helps me to remember that God is a parent too. So who better to turn to for parenting advice? It also helps me to know that God loves my children even more than I do, and He will fill in the gaps for me and Scott as we seek Him first. No matter what kind of parent you've been, today you can decide to add to and improve the legacy you are leaving. These are the only days we have with our children. We don't get them back. Let's begin today to be the parents we really want to be.

Dear Lord, thank You so much for each of my children. I need Your help every day to be the parent You want me to be. Lord, I'm human and I know that as a parent, I've made mistakes and will in the future. Lord, redeem the past and strengthen me for the future. Lord, thank You that You will give me Your love, wisdom, strength, direction, and patience to be the best parent for my children. Help me to leave a legacy that brings You glory and one that will enable my children to know how much You love them. In Jesus' Name, Amen.

Related Resources:
This devotion was adapted from What A Wife Needs From Her Husband by Melanie Chitwood

What a Husband Needs from His Wife by Melanie Chitwood

Season of Change: Parenting Your Middle Schooler with Passion and Purpose by Rebecca Ingram Powell

Check out Melanie’s blog – What Matters Most for information about her upcoming marriage conference call, "Building a Marriage that Will Last a LIfetime." She'll be giving away a free conference call!

For more encouragement, read A Legend of Faith

Mining for Gold in the Heart of Your Child Character Chart and Message on CD, by Renee Swope

Application Steps:
Your children will learn to pray as they hear you pray. Pray with them on the way to school, throughout the day to thank God or to ask for His help, and tuck them in each night with your prayers. And don't stop praying with them when they're teens. Even though your teens may be pulling away from you, they still need to know you're covering them with prayer.

Choose a verse for the whole family to memorize each week. Display it in the kitchen or some other visible place.

Reflections:
Think about your everyday actions. Which of your actions point your children's hearts to the Lord?

Think about your attitude in frustrating or stressful situations. Are you modeling Christ's attitude in these situations?

What is one action step you can take this week to leave a legacy of faith for your children?

Power Verses:
Deuteronomy 6:5-9, "Love GOD, your God, with your whole heart: love him with all that's in you, love him with all you've got! Write these commandments that I've given you today on your hearts. Get them inside of you and then get them inside your children. Talk about them wherever you are, sitting at home or walking in the street; talk about them from the time you get up in the morning to when you fall into bed at night. Tie them on your hands and foreheads as a reminder; inscribe them on the doorposts of your homes and on your city gates. (Message)

Proverbs 22:6, "Direct your children onto the right path, and when they are older, they will not leave it." (NLT)

Psalm 79:13, "So we Your people, the sheep of Your pasture, will give thanks to You forever; to all generations we will tell of Your praise." (NAS)

© 2010 by Melanie Chitwood. All rights reserved.

Help Us Moms, Lord!

Lysa TerKeurst

"If any of you lacks wisdom, he should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to him." James 1:5 (NIV)

I wanted to tap the two girls sitting on the front row at our church service. And fuss at them in a not so gentle way I tell you. But they were five rows ahead of me and my arm couldn't quite reach.

Since I couldn't physically get their attention, I prepared my "look." You know the one that says a thousand corrective statements with just a cross expression and a raised eyebrow? Yes, that one.

The minute one of them stole a glance in my direction, they were going to know exactly how I felt about their wiggling and obvious lack of attention during the service. Oh, and I should mention, these two girls belonged to me. Well, at least one of them did. The other was my daughter's friend who sometimes goes to church with us.

I don't think anyone else really noticed them. They weren't being disruptive to other people. But they weren't acting the way I wanted them to. I wanted them sitting up straight, drinking in the message, and taking notes.

Suddenly, an annoying little thought started to tug at the corners of my mind. "You want your children to act perfectly because it makes you look good. Let that go. They don't need to be sitting up straight furiously taking notes to hear God's message. This is a beautiful time for grace."

Ouch.

I don't much like the Holy Spirit speaking the kind of truth to me that hurts. I was in the mood to fuss at somebody. Two somebodies. Give grace? Now? It wasn't what I wanted but it's exactly what I needed to do in that moment. Soon my daughter's friend peered back to look at me. Despite my feelings, I made the choice to smile, wink, and give her a little wave.

Then this wiggly, usually not very affectionate, middle schooler got out of her seat. She walked down the aisle, five rows back, and made her way to me. She threw her arms around me and gave me a hug that preached a thousand sermons right then and there.

Indeed, grace was exactly what was needed in that moment. The rest of the service she sat attentive beside me and even asked a few questions on the way home.

And that's what makes this parenting thing so hard. There are really no textbook answers. It's such a moment by moment balancing act between loving, shepherding, disciplining, extending grace, molding, modeling, loving some more and fussing a little along the way too.

The only way I can navigate this balancing act is to stay close to God. Really close. Rather than seeing God as far off, I have to rely on him as a desperate daughter who needs her Daddy.

Philippians 4:6 says, "Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus."

I like that verse but without quoting it in context, it's stripped of its power. The last 4 words of Philippians 4:5 are the power source that unlocks the peace of God that transcends all understanding.

Those four words are, "The Lord is near."

And because He's near, we don't have to be anxious- we can ask our Lord what to do, how to react, when to discipline and when to give grace. James 1:5 reminds me, "If any of you lacks wisdom, he should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to him." Only God can prepare me with the wisdom and discernment necessary for each and every parenting moment. So I must stay close to Him- ask Him- rely on Him- cry out to Him- and make Him the basis for my parenting.

My goal should never be to raise kids that make me look good. (But, oh, how my flesh craves this!) My goal should be to ask God moment by moment for wisdom to know how to raise kids who proclaim God's goodness in their hearts.

Blessings to you as you ever so delicately search for that balance between discipline and grace as well.

Dear Lord, I am asking for wisdom today to know how to best raise my kids. Help me to know when to discipline and when to give grace. Help me sense Your nearness so I don't feel so alone and overwhelmed with this task of being a mom. In Jesus' Name, Amen.

Related Resources:
Visit Lysa’s blog for a chance to win a mom’s encouragement package for you and a friend!

This devotion was taken from Lysa’s new book: Am I Messing Up My Kids? If you’ve ever wanted to stop yelling and start loving being a mom, get this book here today!

Becoming More Than a Good Bible Study Girl by Lysa TerKeurst

Application Steps:
Only God can prepare us with the wisdom and discernment necessary for each and every parenting moment. Pray for wisdom and revelation today as you lead your children. The more you ask for the spirit of wisdom and revelation, the more your actions will be redirected, moment by moment. The more your actions are redirected, the more you will become like Jesus. The more you become like Jesus, the more deeply you will come to understand His ways and know Him personally.

Read Psalm 103:8-13 and journal your thoughts.

Reflections:
Who am I most likely to ask when I need parenting help?

What might be the benefit of turning to God first?

How can I become a wiser mom according to James 1:5?

Power Verses:
Proverbs 19:11, "A man's wisdom gives him patience…" (NIV)

Proverbs 24:3, "By wisdom a house is built, and through understanding it is established." (NIV)

Ephesians 1:17, "I keep asking that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the glorious Father, may give you the Spirit of wisdom and revelation, so that you may know him better." (NIV)

© 2010 by Lysa TerKeurst. All rights reserved.

God's Cleats

Rachel Olsen

"Wisdom and money can get you almost anything, but only wisdom can save your life." Ecclesiastes 7:12 (NLT)

The Vancouver Olympics have me glued to my TV. Figure skating, downhill skiing, snowboarding, even curling - I'll watch most any Olympic sport. I relish the competition, the teamwork, the medal ceremonies, and especially the stories of athletes overcoming odds to perform well.

In fact, it reminds me a little of my husband Rick.

My husband grew up with a single mother, and very little money. In high school, Rick wanted to try out for track and field – he dreamed of running fast and long, and throwing a javelin. The problem was he didn't have the right shoes, and couldn't afford them. Thank God for good friends and a kind coach.

One of Rick's close friends invited Rick over to his house one day and said, "Try these running shoes on. They just don't fit my feet right and I'll never wear them." Rick wasn't sure if J.T. was telling the truth, but the shoes fit Rick fine. Those shoes helped him qualify for the state meet in the 800 meter race.

Running shoes allowed Rick to run much faster than his old sneakers would, but he would slip and slide in them while trying to throw the javelin. One day after practice, Rick's coach called him over and held up a big box of cleats. "Here's some unclaimed shoes students left in their lockers at the end of the school year. Find your size if you can." Rick found some that fit and the cleats made all the difference. Even the "crunching" sound they made on the track sent shivers of confidence and purpose up Rick's spine. Rick discovered it's much easier to strive for the goal when your footing is secure.

Many athletes dream of standing atop a podium during an awards ceremony with gold medals around their necks. For most, it takes talent, hard work, plus money to get there. But there is an ornament even more valuable than a gold medal. Proverbs 3:21-23 reveals:

"My son, preserve sound judgment and discernment, do not let them out of your sight; they will be life for you, an ornament to grace your neck. Then you will go on your way in safety, and your foot will not stumble."

Sound judgment and discernment are medals that become ours when we walk in wisdom. Money can take us places, for sure, but it can only take us so far. It provides but a measure of security. Wisdom is the footwear each of us needs to run the race God has set before us. Wisdom will help us make the important trek from this world into eternity.

When we walk in His wisdom – in God's cleats – He promises us solid footing. He does not promise a road that is always flat, or a route that is easy to run, but He promises us solid footing no matter the terrain. Wisdom – proper respect for the Lord and His ways – affords us ultimate security. Eternal security. Money can't do that.

Rick went on to compete successfully in high school, and on his college cross-country team. He also went on to gain godly wisdom. I'm so thankful for the friends and coaches that ensured Rick had what he needed to run his best.

God ensures – through the Bible, His followers, and His Spirit within us – that we each have what we need to run our best as well. He equips us to follow hard after Him. No money is necessary to be well-heeled in God's kingdom. Whether we're wearing nursing shoes, work boots, high heels, hand-me-downs, or flip-flops, we can walk securely by walking wisely.

Dear Lord, grant me wisdom and sure footing as I follow after You. I trust You to equip me with all I need. Whatever my path, I believe Your principals can keep me from slipping. You lead, I'll follow. In Jesus' Name, Amen.

Related Resources:
Do You Know Him?

Visit Rachel at her blog today to chat about how God equips us with what we need.

All I Need is Jesus & a Good Pair of Jeans by Susanna Foth Aughtmon

Walk with Me Today, Lord: Inspiring Devotions for Women by Emilie Barnes

Application Steps:
Consider what you usually walk in - fear? anger? depression? doubt? discontentment? a big hurry?

Reflections:
Who in your life can coach you in the ways of wisdom?

Who can help you "find your size" and follow after Him?

Power Verses:
Proverbs 4:7, "Getting wisdom is the wisest thing you can do! And whatever else you do, develop good judgment." (NLT)

Proverbs 2:6, "For the Lord grants wisdom! From his mouth come knowledge and understanding." (NLT)

© 2010 by Rachel Olsen. All rights reserved.

Becoming Today

Amy Carroll

"Teach us to number our days aright, that we may gain a heart of wisdom." Psalm 90:12 (NIV)

As my plane landed, I wondered if she'd be there. The retreat weekend simply wouldn't be the same without her. I would miss her encouraging looks as I spoke and the women of her church would certainly have hearts that ached with her absence. All year I had thought about the words that she had spoken the previous fall, and I needed to ask her more probing questions.

She had a secret that I longed to know. There were many women from the group who I wanted to ask about, but as the event coordinator and I waited at the luggage carousel, I started with my most important question, "Will Ruth Clark be coming?" My heart rejoiced as I heard the reply that was given with a smile, "Ruth has had a lot of health problems this year, but she'll be there!"

Entering the room at the retreat center, my eyes searched for Ruth among the small clusters of chatting women. I found her dear, smiling face quickly and headed to greet her. She opened her arms wide, hugged me and said, "I've been praying for you all year." After asking me to wait for a minute, Ruth opened her purse, took out a well-worn pink book full of small cards and began to leaf through it. Finally, she found the card for which she had been searching, and pulled it out. On it was a black-and-white photocopy of a picture of me with my name written underneath. She explained, "Each day I use this book to remember who to pray for. I put you in my book after the retreat last year, and I've prayed for you every day."

I looked at her face, creased with crows' feet and laugh lines, the product of many wide smiles and tender glances. I took in her white hair, the walker beside her and her comfortable shoes and had a single thought—"Beautiful!"

Ruth is the woman that I want to be when age has settled onto my features and slowed my steps. Her beauty is an internal light that has grown brighter with time and experience rather than being extinguished. Knowing Ruth has changed my life and set me on a journey. When we first met, I immediately knew she had something I wanted.

After listening to this delightful woman talk for a while, I asked her, "What is your secret? How have you continued to grow in the Lord, stay positive and exude joy?" She answered quickly and confidently, "Be today who you want to be tomorrow."

Profound!

So, how can you and I apply Ruth's advice in our lives while we're still younger women? We can ask to God to reveal our own sins and flaws, repent of them and ask for His mercy to start living differently today. He's given me a very personal and specific list of where to start! I can ask God's help to stop my tendency toward complaining about difficult circumstances and develop the habit of praising Him for molding my character through trials and tests. I can ask Him for the spiritual fruit of self-control so that I resist flying off the handle in a grumpy, hormone-fueled fit for no good reason. I can ask Him to stop my free-flowing river of words and help me listen to others compassionately before I speak. I could go on, but you're getting the picture. Are you starting to make a list of your own?

Although thinking about our own aging and watching loved ones age sometimes generates fear, we can face the future with tremendous hope and faith when we know that we can begin shaping our tomorrows today. I truly believe that becoming the woman today that we want to be tomorrow is the key to becoming the woman of grace, love and wisdom in our 70s and 80s that we so desire to be.

Dear Lord, I long to be a growing, godly older woman until my very last breath. Help me to begin today in developing the character and spiritual disciplines that I'll need to follow You victoriously throughout my life. In Jesus' Name, Amen.

Related Resources:
Do You Know Him?

The Woman I Am Becoming by T. Suzanne Eller

Find more encouragement from other “Ruths” with the P31 Woman magazine

Visit Amy’s blog-Ponderings from the Pathway

Application Steps:
Imagine yourself in your 80s. Make a list of words that you would like others to use when they describe the 80 year old you.

Reflections:
Which of my personal character traits could become ugly when magnified by age?

Have I limited God by an "I'll work on that later" attitude?

Power Verses:
Isaiah 46:4, "Even to your old age and gray hairs I am he, I am he who will sustain you. I have made you and I will carry you; I will sustain you and I will rescue you." (NIV)

Psalm 71:18, "So even to old age and gray hairs, O God, do not forsake me, until I proclaim your might to another generation, your power to all those to come." (ESV)

© 2010 by Amy Carroll. All rights reserved.

The Friendship Project

Whitney Capps

"But he wanted to justify himself, so he asked Jesus, 'And who is my neighbor?' Luke:10:29 (NIV)

It was a room full of nearly strangers, barely friends-until that day. I asked the ladies to stand as I read from a list of life experiences. If they had lived through one of the descriptions they stood up. One by one, sobbing women rose to their feet as I read the list. They were family in name only - a family of believers from the same church gathered together for a women's retreat where I was the guest speaker.

Twelve women stood together when I asked if anyone had had a miscarriage. One woman had buried a spouse. Five came from unbelieving homes. One had lived through marital infidelity. Three had escaped relationships where they had faced verbal, physical or sexual abuse. Three ladies had struggled with depression. The list went on and on. By the time I had finished, every woman in the room was standing.

We were knee-deep in one another's junk, and yet I had never felt closer to a group of women. As we closed the session I asked them to share more about their stories at their individual tables. As I surveyed the room, women who had been strangers only minutes before were huddled around one another, embracing, sharing and weeping. God was knitting hearts together. It was a moment I'll never forget.

I am realizing that women of all walks of life crave friendships. And yet so many of us feel that we are lacking meaningful, authentic relationships. How is it that a church full of women with a common thread of faith are not friends? Worse yet, if we aren't friends, can we hope to offer authentic relationships to those who enter the doors of our churches every week?

I fear the answer is "no, we can't" unless we change and make a few necessary sacrifices.

Recently I've gleaned some life lessons from the story of the Good Samaritan. In Luke 10:30, Jesus paints a not-so-favorable picture of the religious and respectable. I wonder if He would have the same indictment of our churches today? The priest was seemingly too busy to befriend the one in need.

Can I be honest? I am regularly guilty of this sin. Before and after church my husband and I busy ourselves with the work of tending to our children, and doing the business of church. I move past people who are hurting, but I don't stop with my busyness to see their needs. I rarely get off my horse. I am the priest.

The Levite rode past the hurting man too. Perhaps he felt he was too clean to get dirty in the messy business of grace and mercy. Helping the man in need would have made the Levite ceremonially unclean. He wanted to preserve his position and place.

Let me do a little more truth-telling. I don't usually want to get knee-deep in other people's junk. If I don't get into messy relationships I avoid having to deal not only with my own junk, but other's as well. So I don't get off my horse. I am the Levite.

Here is the problem. Real relationships require time and transparency. If we want to move from being casual acquaintances to genuine friends you and I will have to share pain and joy in an authentic, sacrificial way. I believe this, but for right now it's just theory.

I'm curious. What would happen if we covenanted together to get off our high horses and got into one another's junk? I wonder if our churches would explode. I wonder if lives would be forever changed. I wonder if the Church would shed a little bit of its reputation of hypocrisy.

Want to see what would happen? It's not too late to add a New Year's resolution. Let's resolve to change lives through friendship. Let's slow down. Let's share our stories. Let's get knee-deep.

Dear Lord, give me eyes to see those in need around me, and give me the courage to respond. Father, I want to be a part of life-changing friendships by offering grace and mercy. You call us to love others as ourselves. Help me obey this all-consuming command. In Jesus' Name, Amen.

Related Resources:
The Friends We Keep: A Woman's Quest for the Soul of Friendship by Sarah Zacharias Davis

Visit Whitney’s blog today

Traveling Together: Thoughts on Women, Friendship and the Journey of Faith by Karla Worley

Join Whitney’s Facebook group The Friendship Project for more details about this campaign

Application Steps:
How can you simplify your Sunday routine to allow more time for building relationships?

With whom can you share part of your story in hopes of offering encouragement and hope?

Reflections:
Do you have genuine, edifying friendships? Why or why not?

Are you reaching out and developing new friendships with those in need around you?

Power Verses:
Luke 10:27, "He answered: 'Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength and with all your mind"; and, "Love your neighbor as yourself.'" (NIV)

Luke 10:33-34, 36-37, "But a Samaritan, as he traveled, came where the man was; and when he saw him, he took pity on him. He went to him and bandaged his wounds…and took care of him… 'Which of these three do you think was a neighbor to the man who fell into the hands of robbers?' The expert in the law replied, 'The one who had mercy on him.' Jesus told him, 'Go and do likewise.'" (NIV)

© 2010 by Whitney Capps. All rights reserved.

A Mary Moment

Wendy Pope

"Elizabeth gave a glad cry and exclaimed to Mary, 'God has blessed you above all women, and your child is blessed. Why am I so honored, that the mother of my Lord should visit me? … You are blessed because you believed that the Lord would do what He said.'" Luke 1:42-45 (NLT)

Have you ever said "yes" to God for what you believed was the assignment of a lifetime? When you said "yes" did you know you would never be the same again? I love the story of Mary - young, sweet, innocent Mary - who accepted the assignment of her lifetime.

I can only imagine what she was thinking when the angel Gabriel announced she would give birth to the Son of the Most High. Mary was also given details of how this son would be conceived. Without hesitation her response to this assignment of a lifetime was, "May it be to me as you have said" (Luke 1:38, NIV).

Mary did what most women do when something "big" happens, she ran to tell a gal pal. I wonder if she ran out of fear or excitement about what she had just experienced. Perhaps she ran to hide until she could get a handle on the situation. Or maybe she needed a hug from someone that loved her and could assure her that everything was going to be all right.

Scripture tells us she "hurried" on a 5-6 hour trip to Zechariah and Elizabeth's house – a place of refuge. When she arrived at their home, her cousin Elizabeth's words confirmed that Mary indeed had been chosen to give birth to the long awaited Messiah. "In a loud voice she exclaimed: 'Blessed are you among women, and blessed is the child you will bear! But why am I so favored, that the mother of my Lord should come to me? As soon as the sound of your greeting reached my ears, the baby in my womb leaped for joy. Blessed is she who has believed that what the Lord has said to her will be accomplished!'" (Luke 1:42-44, NIV).

This was Mary's moment. All that she believed of what the angel had spoken was affirmed. In response, Mary praised God, saying, "My soul glorifies the Lord and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior, for he has been mindful of the humble state of his servant. From now on all generations will call me blessed, for the Mighty One has done great things for me—holy is his name" (Luke 1:46-49, NIV).

Has something like this ever happened to you? Has the Lord spoke to you through His Word and prayer and in your spirit you sensed Him telling you something that seemed outrageous? Has He asked you to say "yes" to an assignment that would change your life forever? You shook your head to loosen the cobwebs and push out anything possibly obstructing your hearing. You walked around bewildered for a couple days, wondering if you really heard right. You replayed the scenario in your mind to get a clearer picture of the experience, but still could not get a handle on it. Then out of the blue you received confirmation. God used a pastor, scripture, song, friend, family member, or a situation to confirm the word He spoke to your heart. If so, like Mary, have you responded with a song of praise to the Lord?

Is God speaking to you today about accepting a divine assignment? Is this devotion confirmation of your own "Mary moment"?

Or, maybe you are still waiting on your lifetime assignment. God gives each assignment in His perfect timing. Let's stay close to Him and His Word so we will be ready to say "yes" when He speaks.

Dear Lord, I celebrate with You the assignments you have for me, big and small. I reflect today on the "Mary moments" I've had. With fear, trembling, and excitement, I wait on the next one. You are a right-on-time God. Thank You for choosing me to be part of Your story. With each assignment, help me to respond like Mary by saying, "May it be to me as you have said." In Jesus' Name, Amen.

Related Resources:
Do You Know Him?

What Happens When Women Say Yes to God by Lysa TerKeurst

What to Do in the W.A.I.T.: Finding Contentment in God’s Pause and Plans CD by Wendy Pope

i am not, but i know I AM by Louie Giglio

Visit Wendy’s blog to share your “Mary moment,” we would love to hear about it!

Application Steps:
Take time to answer this question: Is God speaking to me today about accepting a divine assignment? Is this devotion confirmation of my own "Mary moment"?

Read the full account of Mary's moment in Luke 1:26-45. Read Mary's song of praise (46-55) aloud. Praise the Lord for your "Mary moments," and those yet to come.

Visit Wendy’s blog to inspire others with the story of your "Mary moment."

Reflections:
Do I recognize when God is calling me to a task? Have I said "yes" in the past? Did I follow through with it?

Am I ready to say to the Lord, "May it be to me as you have said"?

Power Verses:
Psalm 139:13, "For you created my inmost being; you knit me together in my mother's womb." (NIV)

Ephesians 2:10, "For we are God's workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do." (NIV)

© 2009 by Wendy Pope. All rights reserved.

The Ultimate Gift

Gina Parcells, She Speaks! Graduate

"…God has given us eternal life, and this life is in His Son." 1 John 5:11b (NASB)

Christmas day at my house had become all about the presents. The décor, the shopping, the parties, the tree…it all culminated with those gifts when it should be culminating with the Gift. Something needed to change.

What can I do to see Jesus as a gift, and to help my family see Him as well? I wondered. A light bulb went on in my head, about the same time the light strand went out on my tree, and a plan was birthed.

Phase one: Baby Jesus was removed from the displayed nativity set. He was carefully boxed and wrapped in my fanciest paper, intentionally labeled with a specific name, and gingerly hidden under the myriad of gifts at the foot of our tree.

Phase two: During our family gift exchange on Christmas morning, the disguised gift was handed to my unsuspecting daughter, the named recipient, just one of her many gifts. It could have been an I-pod or a sweater or another book…after all, there was no host of angels announcing the valuable contents. But knowing what I knew, I watched with great anticipation as she opened it.

Phase three: A bewildered look came across her face. Haley didn't speak. I asked, "Haley, what did you get?"

"I got Jesus."

An entire family discussion ensued as we discussed the ultimate Gift in the midst of all of our other presents. We compared the gift of Jesus with other gifts that would wear out, that would be outgrown, and that would eventually lose appeal.

We began to ask and answer lots of questions such as:

What is a gift? What is the purpose of a gift? What can we know about the giver of the gift? Why might the giver choose to give a gift to you specifically?

Together, we came up with truths about God…that He gave us the Gift that we need, that we want, and that we could never afford to get for ourselves. He wrapped that Gift in a blanket and gave – voluntarily, sacrificially, and lovingly – to each one of us, the named recipients of His greatest Gift.

We've invited Jesus back into Christmas to take His place as the perfect Gift that never stops giving. I can hardly wait to experience today that same conversation this year as a new family member opens the box and announces, "I got Jesus!"

Dear Lord, too many times I have excluded You from my Christmas and been satisfied with presents and stuff. Let me not be content until I experience the gift of You in my heart. Cause me to see You as the ultimate Gift. In Jesus' Name, Amen.

Related Resources:
Immanuel: Praying the Names of God through the Christmas Season by Ann Spangler

Homespun Memories from the Heart by Karen Ehman, Kelly Hovermale and Trish Smith

Find more Christmas family traditions with P31 radio show A Cup of Christmas COCOA

Application Steps:
Try wrapping up your nativity baby Jesus for a family member or a friend, and discuss the Gift He is during your gift exchange.

Print and store this page with your nativity set as a reminder next year to value Jesus as a gift.

Reflections:
Have You Received the Ultimate Gift?

How can I help my family view Jesus as a Gift?

Power Verses:
Isaiah 9:6, "For a child will be born to us, a son will be given to us; and the government will rest on His shoulders; and His name will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Eternal Father, Prince of Peace." (NASB)

John 3:16, "For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish, but have eternal life." (NASB)

Romans 6:23b, "… the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord." (NASB)

© 2009 by Gina Parcells. All rights reserved.

Divine Delays

Zoe Elmore

"So do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with my righteous right hand." Isaiah 41:10 (NIV)

My schedule was tight and I was out of make-up, so I planned to pick up my favorite foundation at the local mall, leaving room to still arrive on time for my friend's annual Christmas tea. As I prepared to leave, the Lord whispered to my heart, Don't go to the mall; go to the make-up store near your home.

But Lord, I argued, I have my friend's Christmas tea and the mall is on the way. What You're asking me to do isn't convenient. I will have to go out of my way and I will be late for the tea. And You know how important punctuality is to me!

After more mental arguing, I reluctantly obeyed and went into the corner make-up store.

I knew the young woman working. She's not only pleasant, but quick and efficient with her customers. Lord, maybe this inconvenience won't interrupt my schedule too much after all. As I entered the store, the familiar woman greeted me and offered to help with my purchase. I told her what I needed and added that I was in quite a hurry to be on time for my Christmas tea.

Quickly and efficiently she found the needed product and walked me to the register to check out.

This was easier than I thought, I said to myself as she handed me my purchase. Then it happened ... the reason I had been led to go out of my way.

"I know you're in a hurry, and I will only keep you one more moment." The young woman shared. "I'd like to ask that you pray for me and my struggling marriage as you drive to your Christmas tea. I don't think my marriage can be saved."

In that moment I sensed the Lord, This is why I wanted to interrupt your busy schedule.

I placed my purchase on the counter, held her hands and prayed. As the Lord guided my words, the young woman began to sob, her tears landing softly on my hands. When I said "Amen," she hugged me tightly and whispered, "Of all the people I've asked to pray for me, you're the first one to stop and do so. Thank you. I've been very discouraged, and had thought no one would ever respond to my request. In fact, I had given up all hope that God even heard my cries for help."

I reminded her of Psalm 145:18-19, "The LORD is near to all who call on him, to all who call on him in truth. He fulfills the desires of those who fear him; he hears their cry and saves them" (NIV).

She thanked me for my time, adding that she would begin to dig into God's Word for more strength and encouragement. The store began to fill with customers. There was one more hug and an exchange of phone numbers as I left for the tea.

Since that day we have talked and prayed together on several occasions and we plan to continue into the New Year. Each time she and I talk, it's a reminder that when I listen and obey the Lord's promptings, I experience the joy of His presence in a powerful way.

God's divine delay taught me that being used by the Lord for His glory in the life of others far outweighs arriving on time.

Dear Lord, thank You for loving me enough to use me for Your purposes and glory. Teach me to listen and obey without reservation or hesitation. In Jesus' Name, Amen.

Related Resources:
Apples of Gold: A Six-Week Nurturing Program for Women by Betty Huizenga

Visit Zoe’s blog - Called by a New Name

Crazy Love: Overwhelmed by a Relentless God by Francis Chan

Desperate Prayers, Divine Answers, a free online article from P31 Woman magazine

Application Steps:
Examine your relationship with the Lord; are you allowing the business of this season to crowd out His small quiet voice?

Reflections:
Are you listening to and obeying the Lord's promptings in your life?

Are you refusing to listen and obey because it might inconvenience you?

Power Verses:
Deuteronomy 31:6, 8, "Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid or terrified because of them, for the LORD your God goes with you; he will never leave you nor forsake you. The LORD himself goes before you and will be with you; he will never leave you nor forsake you. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged." (NIV)

Luke 12:6-7, "Are not five sparrows sold for two pennies? And not one of them is forgotten before God. Why, even the hairs of your head are all numbered. Fear not; you are of more value than many sparrows." (ESV)

© 2009 by Zoe Elmore. All rights reserved.

Invisible Woman

Shari Braendel

"Be devoted to one another in brotherly love. Honor one another above yourselves." Romans 12:10 (NIV)

Margaret was new to the area and decided to visit a few local churches and Bible studies before she chose where to attend regularly. Unfortunately, it turned out the same everywhere she went: no one acknowledged her.

They didn't even seem to see her. She was left feeling like a small fish in a big sea. "How am I ever going to meet anyone, let alone make a friend?" she thought to herself, as she uncomfortably poured herself a cup of coffee in the foyer of a church.

Recently, I had a conversation with Margaret and she reminisced with me about the time she felt so alone in that foyer full of women. She made me giggle when she revealed how she entertained herself during those lonely times by wearing the same outfit on purpose for weeks in a row. She was convinced that it just didn't matter because no one would remember her anyway.

Although Margaret felt alone and invisible, she was not. Jesus said, "Are not five sparrows sold for two pennies? Yet not one of them is forgotten by God. Indeed, the very hairs of your head are all numbered. Don't be afraid; you are worth more than many sparrows" (Luke 12:6-7, NIV). Not only did God see her that day, but He knew what kind of hair day she was having!

I know how Margaret felt. My son started a new school this year and I found myself in a similar situation. As I attended my first PTA meeting, I looked around the room and didn't know a soul. I noticed I wasn't the only one by myself. There were other women who appeared not to know anyone either. Many were sitting alone, pretending to be at ease, yet not looking upward or outward; just awkwardly tending to their refreshments. Everyone else was talking and laughing in groups of two's and three's, unaware that there were isolated women in the room.

How do we become so involved with ourselves that we forget about others who might be new or lonely? I think about Margaret's story and I wonder, "Am I so caught up with what's going on with me that I forget it's not all about me?" Perhaps meetings, Bible studies or holiday parties aren't all about the girlfriends I already know, but about reaching out to someone who is searching for a welcoming friend.

I've been challenging myself to look beyond my familiar circle, and I want to invite you to do the same. Wherever you go, look around the room and find someone who is by herself. Walk up to her and say hello. Ask some questions about how long she's been coming and how you might help her feel connected and welcomed in that particular situation. You may just be the one that helps her realize she's not invisible – she's noticed – by God and by you.

Dear Lord, I pray as I go about my business that you will help me to become more aware of others. I pray that I seek out those who feel uncomfortable or who might be new. Help me step outside myself and approach someone who needs to be noticed. I pray I realize it's not all about me. In Jesus' Name, Amen.

Related Resources:
A Life That Says Welcome, Simple Ways to Open Your Heart & Home to Others by Karen Ehman

Visit Shari’s blog – A Beautiful Place

Connecting Women: A Relationship Guide for Leaders in Women's Ministry by Linda Lesniewski

Application Steps:
As you prepare to leave your home today, tell God you are willing to be used for His purposes. Tell Him you are ready for an assignment to welcome someone.

Ask your women's ministry leader or PTA advisor (or whatever group you're involved in) if there is a welcoming committee. Offer to help or head this up so no one has to feel like Margaret did. As a matter of fact, that's exactly what my friend Margaret did!

Reflections:
Do I feel like Margaret sometimes? Remember whose you are. The Lord says in Isaiah 49:16, "See, I have engraved you on the palms of my hands" (NIV).

Is there a holiday party coming up that you would rather avoid? Go to it looking for the plans and the new friend God has for you there.

Power Verses:
Zephaniah 3:17, "The Lord your God is with you, he is mighty to save. He will take great delight in you, he will quiet you with his love, he will rejoice over you with singing." (NIV)

Acts 17:28, "In Him we live and move and have our being." (NIV)

© 2009 by Shari Braendel. All rights reserved.

A Thirsty Woman

Rachel Olsen

"Whoever brings blessing will be enriched, and one who waters will himself be watered." Proverbs 11:25 (ESV)

I sat in the crowded café of a bookstore working on my laptop. My stomach growled repeatedly—I'd not yet had lunch. Hunger urged me to pack up and head in the rain to a restaurant but I purposed instead to focus on the project at hand. Then something else caught my attention.

A woman wearing a green rain jacket walked by. I noticed because she walked with the gate of a person with a disability. Several steps past me she stopped, turned and looked at me. I smiled. She spoke to me in incomprehensible syllables. Not sure how to respond, I kept smiling. She repeated her groaning.

"What is it?" I inquired.

After "speaking" a few more sentences, she reached her hand toward me. All her motions were noticeably slow. With her arm extended, she wiggled her fingers while looking at me with soft eyes that didn't seem to fully focus.

Patrons at surrounding tables stared in our direction. The awkwardness was growing. She kept wiggling her fingers, uttering sounds no one understood. I looked around. She was alone. I smiled again and asked, "What do you need?" She came closer, her hand reaching for my wrist. Maybe she just wants to touch me for some reason, I thought.

Instead, she took my hand and pulled me up from my chair. My eyes made contact with the man at the next table. He looked at me with a mix of surprise and questioning. I suspect my facial expression matched his.

She lead me by the hand to the coffee condiments counter that housed a stack of plastic cups and a help-yourself pitcher of water. She grabbed the cup-stack, wrestling four off the top. For over a minute she struggled to separate one cup from the four. I held out my hands in a gesture of help but she never allowed me to reach the cups. I waited.

Once she had her single cup, she pointed to the water pitcher. I lifted it and poured her a glass. She drank the whole thing, and pointed to the pitcher again. I poured another cup. She downed it and reached for the pitcher herself this time. Uh oh, I thought.

I watched, gauging her ability as she attempted to pour her own drink. Moving ever so gingerly, she tilted the pitcher while holding the cup. She seemed in slow motion. Her aim was off a few fractions of an inch, so at the last second I maneuvered her hand with the cup to the precise spot to catch the water.

All this while she didn't look at me or speak to me. I just stood next to her at the counter.

When the cup neared full, I said, "OK." She stopped pouring and drank her third glassful in a row. Wow, she was thirsty. Maybe she just doesn't know when to stop. I wondered if I should cut her off when she began pouring a fourth cup. Instead I let her fill it, as slowly as before.

As she drank that fourth cup, I wiped the small spills from the counter. Suddenly this passage flooded my mind:

"Then the King will say to those on his right, 'Come, you who are blessed
by my Father, inherit the Kingdom prepared for you from the creation of the
world. For I was hungry, and you fed me. I was thirsty, and you gave me a drink.
I was a stranger, and you invited me into your home. I was naked, and you gave
me clothing. I was sick, and you cared for me. I was in prison, and you visited
me.'

Then these righteous ones will reply, 'Lord, when did we ever see you
hungry and feed you? Or thirsty and give you something to drink? Or a stranger
and show you hospitality? Or naked and give you clothing? When did we ever see
you sick or in prison and visit you?' And the King will say, 'I tell you the
truth, when you did it to one of the least of these my brothers and sisters, you
were doing it to me!'" (Matthew 25:34-40, NLT)

I'd just been chosen to share water, perhaps with a woman and perhaps with the Living Water Himself. This was the best thing I did all day. All week. All month even. Maybe all year.

After the fourth cupful, a caretaker came and led the woman away. She looked back at me one last time. I smiled. By the time I returned to my seat, the café patrons were no longer watching me or the woman—our interaction at the condiment counter had been lengthy and quiet. They'd gone back to reading their books. I, however, couldn't return to my project. My thoughts were captivated by Jesus' words, and the woman in the green rain slicker.

Dear Lord, I give thanks today for the food and drink on my table. Help me see ways to share it with those less fortunate. In Jesus' Name, Amen.

Related Resources:
Click here to meet this King who rewards those who serve and share with others

Visit Rachel’s blog - My Life in Chapter and Verse

Share Living Water with a Compassion International sponsored child

God’s Purpose for Every Woman: A P31 Devotional by various P31 Encouragement for Today authors.

Application Steps:
Share. Give. Serve. Bless.

Reflections:
What are two ways I can provide food, drink, clothing, medical care or hospitality in the weeks to come?

Read ideas of how you and your children can share A Cup of Cold Water.

Power Verses:
Proverbs 19:17, "Whoever is generous to the poor lends to the LORD, and he will repay him for his deed." (ESV)

John 4:13-14, "Jesus said to her, 'Everyone who drinks of this water will be thirsty again, but whoever drinks of the water that I will give him will never be thirsty again. The water that I will give him will become in him a spring of water welling up to eternal life.'" (ESV)

© 2009 by Rachel Olsen. All rights reserved.

Making the Most of Loneliness

Glynnis Whitwer

"I no longer call you servants, because a servant does not know his master's business. Instead, I have called you friends, for everything that I learned from my Father I have made known to you." John 15:15 (NIV)

My little boy sat facing the back of the couch. His head resting on his crossed arms. He stared out the window. His little head moved from left to right as he watched two neighbor boys race past on bikes, laughing at a shared joke.

I watched my second-grade-son from the kitchen door, drying my hands with a dishtowel. My shoulders drooped as Josh took a deep breath and let it out in a despairing sigh. Mirroring his sadness, my throat tightened and hot tears burned my eyes. Throwing the dishtowel into the sink, I quietly stepped to the couch and slipped down next to him. Without saying a word, I scooped him into my lap and enveloped his little frame with my arms.

His face nuzzled mine and our tears mixed together. I could almost feel the wishing and hoping pulse through his small body: Will they stop by my house? Will they invite me to play? A smothered sob escaped from my little boy who was trying valiantly to be "big."

Ever since our move to North Carolina earlier in the year, Joshua had trouble making friends. The playgroups were established, and my shy son was painfully on the outside. His little brothers were good companions at home, but that didn't replace friendships at school or in the neighborhood.

The loneliness was oppressive, and I felt it too. In fact, that period of my life was one of my darkest times. We all left life-long friends when we moved. Those friendships had been born of common experiences, and years spent together. They were effortless. Now we faced unknown territory, not just geographically, but culturally and socially. This was a new world to us, and Josh felt it as painfully as I did. And yet, during that time, we all learned some things about God and ourselves that we wouldn't have learned had we stayed in Phoenix.

Although loneliness is painful, it isn't always a bad place to be for a time. C.S. Lewis said "God whispers to us in our pleasures, speaks to us in our conscience, but shouts in our pain: it is His megaphone to rouse a deaf world."

God definitely spoke to us in our loneliness. And I started wondering if perhaps there are times when God allows loneliness into our lives as an invitation to pursue Him as our closest friend. When our friends have left us, or we have left them, God reveals His presence in new ways. Tim Hansel, author of Through the Wilderness of Loneliness writes, "Loneliness is not a time of abandonment…it just feels that way. It's actually a time of encounter at new levels with the only One who can fill that empty place in our hearts."

God longs to fill our hearts with Himself. Yet we often try to fill the desires of our hearts with the things of this world. We also discover those attempts to find replacements for God are fleeting and insubstantial, leaving us even lonelier than before.

As you or your child face a time of loneliness, take this opportunity to look to Jesus as a best friend. Jesus Himself calls us friends in John 15:15, "I no longer call you servants, because a servant does not know his master's business. Instead, I have called you friends, for everything that I learned from my Father I have made known to you."

Even though we were designed for community, God has a purpose for loneliness. If we can learn from it, rather than resent it, I believe we'll find a life-long Friend who'll never leave us lonely.

Dear Lord, thank You being a friend who will never leave me. Sometimes the loneliness is overwhelming. Please be real to me today. I want to learn from this time of loneliness rather than resent it. In Jesus' Name, Amen.

Related Resources:
When Your Child is Hurting: Helping Your Child Survive the Ups and Downs of Life by Glynnis Whitwer

Visit Glynnis’ blog for tips on how to help your child (and you) make friends.

Are you lonely today? Click here to meet a Friend who will never leave you.

You are My Hiding Place, Lord: Finding Peace in God's Presence by Emilie Barnes

Application Steps:
Spend 10 minutes sitting in the presence of Jesus. Invite Him to be real to you, and listen for His voice.

Reflections:
What characteristics does God display when He reveals Himself to us as a friend?

What can you do to be a better friend to God?

Power Verses:
Psalm 37:7a, "Be still before the LORD and wait patiently for him…." (NIV)

Matthew 6:33, "But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well." (NIV)

© 2009 by Glynnis Whitwer. All rights reserved.

Being the Stillness

Bonnie Grove, She Reads Featured Author

"Then they sat down on the ground with him for seven days and seven nights with no one speaking a word to him, for they saw that his pain was very great." Job 2:13 (NASB)

I have sought comfort in the book of Job many times in my life. After I buried my infant son, I asked, "Why?" God reminded me that when Job asked the same question His answer was, "Who?"

While laying on a hospital bed knowing for certain I would lose the twins I had carried only a few precious months, God reminded me how in the midst of Job's suffering, God came. And in the whirlwind He answered. Not right away, not in Job's time, but in God's time – the perfect time when Job's heart could take in the words of healing.

In the years following those dark events, I trained in theology, counseling and psychology. I was on a quest to understand my brokenness, and that of others. I'm still on that quest, though my formal training is behind me.

One evening, I was in conversation with a man who was going through a divorce and was in obvious pain. He spoke of his daughter, and how his hopes for the future had been destroyed. When he finished speaking I sat in silence, knowing I had no great words to offer. Spent from telling his story, he too sat quietly.

Our silence stretched into minutes. Then, the man began to cry. I sat with him, keeping his tears company, and still said nothing. More minutes passed, and the man said, "That's the first time I've cried since this whole mess started." Then he said something surprising: "You've helped me so much. Thank you."

The silence had changed something for him. From my perspective, the silence was a result of my limitations as a counselor – I was empty handed. But it became clear to me there was something powerful at work. I remembered how Job's friends sat in silence with him for seven days and nights. With that in mind, I began to pay close attention to silence. I found that by being quiet, I could better understand my thoughts, fears, hopes, and desires. And in my long silences I was able to sense God's presence and hear His voice. When I sat with the man going through a divorce I listened to him without interruption. Then, by saying nothing, I helped him listen to what God had to say to him.

There are astounding lessons to be learned from the act of listening. I have learned that listening is an act of love. It is not passive; it is intentional, engaging with the heart and mind of another person. To listen you must turn off all outside distractions; say "no" to the world rushing by you. A sacred act of deliberate silence and meaningful pause, listening helps people clear a space in their life, heart, and mind in order to simply "be." Our listening is an important gift. I am learning to make it my first response. Through listening I want to provide the stillness God speaks into.

Dear Lord, bring me into a deeper silence before You, that I may hear Your voice, and in hearing, believe, and in believing, listen to the heart of others. When people hurt Lord, let me first offer them my listening, not my advice. In Jesus' Name, Amen.

Related Resources:
Visit with Bonnie today, where she will be a guest at the She Reads blog

Talking to the Dead by Bonnie Grove is a She Reads winter selection. Head over to the She Reads blog today for a chance to win a copy of the novel, plus an iPod Nano loaded with the songs Bonnie listened to while writing her book.

When Your Marriage Dies: Answers to Questions about Separation and Divorce by Laura Petherbridge

Find encouragement in God’s peace on today’s Radio Show - How Difficulties Affect Us

Application Steps:
Practice stillness in your prayer life. Sit quietly; offer the sacrifice of love by listening long to what the Lord has to say to you today.

Practice stillness in your relationships. Begin to pay attention to the silences around you and offer yourself to a friend through the act of listening.

Reflections:
Do you believe God will meet you in your silence?

Can you recall a time when you listened as an act of love to a friend or family member?

Power Verses:
Habakkuk 2:20, "But the LORD is in His holy temple. Let all the earth be silent before Him." (NASB)

Psalm 46:10-11, "Be still and know that I am God….The LORD Almighty is with us." (NIV)

© 2009 by Bonnie Grove. All rights reserved.

Whatever It Takes

Marybeth Whalen

"For you, O God, tested us; you refined us like silver. You brought us into prison and laid burdens on our backs. You let men ride over our heads; we went through fire and water, but you brought us to a place of abundance." Psalm 66:10-12 (NIV)

This school year, my husband and I made some big changes in our house. We took the kids' computer out of the bonus room and gave them use of our two laptop computers in our presence only. We took the extra TV out of the bonus room. We got rid of all the extra channels on our satellite service, leaving the basic few. And we began requiring that our two children who have cell phones turn them in for the night at 8pm.

Why did we implement these seemingly harsh decisions? Because last school year our children made some bad choices… and their grades reflected it. They chose to watch TV in the bonus room instead of going to bed at a decent hour. They chose to play on the computer when they were supposed to be working on assignments. They chose to text their friends instead of focus on their schoolwork.

After repeated lectures and warnings, they still made the same mistakes. This pattern of behavior left us no choice but to come in and remove the things that were a stumbling block. The kids didn't like our decision and to them it seemed unfair. But we stood firm. We knew that we were doing the right thing for our children. We could see a future they could not, and we had to protect that future for them—even if they didn't understand our method for doing so. As their parents, we have to do whatever it takes.

Sometimes God has to do the same for us. At the time His plan may seem harsh and unnecessary. We may not realize that He can see a future we cannot. We are His children, and He will remove all stumbling blocks that keep us from being all that we can be. Even if it hurts. Even when we cry and beg Him not to. Even when we pout and tell Him it's not fair.

It's because I love you, He tells us, that I do this. I am creating something beautiful in you if you will just stop fighting me. I have a place I am trying to get you to. You can't see it, my precious child, but I can.

Is there something God is doing in your life that feels unjust? That has you pouting or crying or wondering why? Maybe you identify with the verses from today. You feel imprisoned, burdened, trampled, burned. Do you trust Him to bring you out of the place where you are to a place of abundance? The most beautiful prayer we can pray is: I trust You, I trust You, I trust You. He is a loving Father who only wants the best for us and He will do whatever it takes to get us there. Instead of fighting Him, let's rest in that Truth.

Dear Lord, I trust You. I trust You. I trust You. In Jesus' Name, Amen.

Related Resources:
Everyday Life encouragement is just a click away!

Becoming A Woman of Influence, CD message by Marybeth Whalen

For the Write Reason General Editor Marybeth Whalen

When Life and Beliefs Collide: How Knowing God Makes a Difference by Carolyn Custis James

Visit Marybeth’s blog – Cheaper by the Half Dozen

Application Steps:
Is there a time that God did whatever it took and you later realized it was good for you? Spend time journaling about that today.

Reflections:
How is God doing whatever it takes in your life right now? Are you recognizing it or rebelling against it?

Power Verses:
Psalm 143:7-8, "Answer me quickly, O Lord; my spirit fails. Do not hide your face from me or I will be like those who go down to the pit. Let the morning bring me word of your unfailing love, for I have put my trust in you. Show me the way I should go, for to you I lift up my soul." (NIV)

Psalm 18:19, "He brought me out into a spacious place; he rescued me because he delighted in me." (NIV)

© 2009 by Marybeth Whalen. All rights reserved.

If You Say So

Van Walton

"Master, we've worked hard all night and haven't caught anything. But because you say so, I will let down the nets." Luke 5:5 (NIV)

Shortly after Jesus began His ministry, He sat down in Peter's boat and began teaching those on the shore. Finishing His lesson He told Peter to go back onto the lake and let down his fishing nets.

Peter had already worked all night. Discouraged and tired he didn't jump at the chance to sail back into deep waters. He was ready to quit.

Reading this story in Luke, I detect a bit of defiance. Do you, like me, sense some push back, a little attitude in Peter's response in our key verse? I do. I perceive it because it sounds like me!

If I don't feel like doing something or if I don't understand its purpose, I question the idea. I doubt the instruction. Especially if I have already gone down that path unsuccessfully. Why repeat it? Been there, tried that. I just want to give up and go home.

So when Peter had a rough go of it, working hard to bring home a night's wages and didn't succeed, he wasn't sure that repeating the action wouldn't change the outcome.

He questioned Jesus. Can you imagine?

"Master, we worked hard all last night and didn't catch a thing."

I can totally relate! In my words, "Master, I already tried that. It didn't work."

What was Peter thinking? Jesus doesn't know what he's talking about. After all he's no fisherman. Or, Jesus doesn't have a clue how tired we are! We've already put in an eight-hour shift.

There have been times I've felt Jesus' prompting: Be kind to her. I respond, "But Jesus, she ignores me." I hear Him whisper, Include her. I respond, "She wouldn't fit in." Invite her to join you . "Ok, if you say so." I finally obey.

I remember when I first heard, develop a ministry for Hispanic women. The words weren't the same as God's words to Peter but the meaning was the same: "Let down your nets again."

The thought overwhelmed me. I had attempted to reach out to my Latina sisters before.

Teaching ESL, Bible, and parenting classes had at one time fit into my volunteer schedule. For one reason or another - cultural differences, changes in leadership, and family relocations - I had grown weary of working so hard to eventually experience empty nets.

"Been there. Tried that." But the Holy Spirit kept pressing and finally I replied, "OK. If you say so." That's when a member of the P31 team asked me to consider developing a ministry for Latinas.

I wondered how in the world I could provide devotions, speaking engagements, prayers, and resources for women from another culture in another language.

First Angela, a Colombian soccer player's wife, joined me. She attended She Speaks and began translating and writing devotions. She started a teaching ministry to Latinas.

Next Ana attended the writers' track at She Speaks and wrote devotions for our weekly publication.

Judith heard Lysa and Renee on the radio and she called the office. Soon after, she began to volunteer by translating our devotions into Spanish. After attending She Speaks, she stepped into a speaking ministry.

Then Laura e-mailed me asking if she could help the team by editing the devotions before we posted them.

Wendy also e-mailed asking if she could volunteer somewhere within Proverbs 31 Ministries.

Lupe called the office. She too offered to volunteer. She attended She Speaks and now writes and translates our Spanish devotions.

Have you felt that God has asked you to do something impossible, something you have already tried, and your efforts have left you exhausted? Are you ready to quit?

Let me encourage you to never give up. Always let your response be, "Master, if You say so, I'll try again."

Jesus, forgive me for questioning You or Your plans. Continue to challenge me because I never want to miss the joy that comes when I experience a "full net." In Jesus' Name, Amen.

Related Resources:
God’s Purpose for Every Woman: A Compilation of Favorite P31 Devotions by various Encouragement for Today authors.

Click here to see the work Van and all of her Latina amigas have done!

From the Pound to the Palace book and DVD by Van Walton

Visit Van’s blog - Created for the Garden, but Lost in the Jungle

Application Steps:
Look around your immediate community. Is there a ministry waiting for you to step into or start?

Has God called you to this work?

What is stopping you from "letting down your nets?"

Reflections:
What is God asking me to do that I have resisted?

Am I willing to follow and obey Jesus?

Do I believe God wants to bless me through this?

Power Verses:
Luke 5:11, "…they pulled their boats up on shore, left everything and followed him." (NIV)

Romans 10:14, "How then will they call on Him in whom they have not believed? How will they believe in Him whom they have not heard? And how will they hear without a preacher?" (NASB)

© 2009 by Van Walton. All rights reserved.