Encouragement for Today

[Judy Harder]

February 9, 2010

Grace Covers

Melanie Chitwood

"Above all, keep fervent in your love for one another, because love

covers a multitude of sins." 1 Peter 4:8 (NAS)

Devotion:

Cartilage is a tissue that is found in many places in our bodies, including at the end of bones where joints form. It protects our joints from wear and tear, helps them move smoothly, and absorbs shock. When the cartilage in our knee, for example, is damaged, we feel pain.

Grace in our marriages is like the protective covering of cartilage in our joints. Couples who show each other a gracious attitude cover their marriage with understanding, protect their marriage from misunderstandings and short-tempered emotions, and help one another absorb life's jolts and shocks.

For example, the other day Scott came home late to discover that I had forgotten to turn off the hose after washing the dogs. The backyard was overflowing with water—an inconvenience and a costly mistake on my part. He could have gotten mad at me, but he didn't. His gracious attitude covered my shortcoming.

Today's key verse contains the word love rather than the word grace. That's because one aspect of love is grace. It's the part of love that is generous, forgiving, encouraging, and unconditional. It's the part of love that empowers you to fill in the gaps rather than notice what's lacking in your spouse. Grace asks, "How can I help you?" instead of growing frustrated or bitter when your spouse isn't measuring up to your standard.

Bringing criticism, judgment, and self-righteousness into your marriage is all too easy. Saying "Why didn't you..."  "You should have..." or "I told you so" requires no effort. But being gracious is what we need in marriage, and that's what Christ calls us to be. We're human. We're going to disappoint one another. We're not always going to meet each other's needs.

When you are fully aware of your own weaknesses and of the ways you fall short of the glory of God, you are more likely to show your partner a gracious attitude. God's Word reminds us that "love covers." How can you cover your spouse with the love of grace today?

Dear Lord, search me, O God, and know my heart (Psalm 139:23). Soften my heart and make me willing to adopt a gracious attitude toward my spouse.  Where I have been unforgiving, harsh, judgmental, or bitter toward my spouse, Lord, I am sorry and ask Your forgiveness.  If we need to talk about an issue, Lord, I pray our conversation will lead us both to a gracious attitude toward one another.  If there's something I need to be quiet about or just to accept, give me willingness and strength.  Lord, I pray that my attitude toward my spouse will reflect Your gracious love.  In Jesus' Name, Amen.

Related Resources:

What a Husband Needs from His Wife by Melanie Chitwood

This devotion was adapted from What a Wife Needs from Her Husband.  Order your copy today!

Visit Melanie's blog - What Matters Most for more marriage encouragement.

For more on grace, read Fighting Words

Application Steps:   

What you can do today to show a gracious attitude toward your spouse? Some ideas:

·        Let it go.

·        Assume the best.

·        In your quiet time, think about the different ways God has covered you with grace rather than burdened you with judgment.

·        Hang around friends with gracious attitudes.  Let their attitudes rub off on you. 

·        Be careful of keeping company with people who are constantly bashing and bad-mouthing their spouses.  Their bad attitudes are likely to affect yours.

·        Don't say, "I told you so."

Reflections: 

What triggers in you a harsh or judgmental reaction toward your spouse rather than a gracious reaction? 

How has Christ shown you grace, and how can His grace spill over in your marriage?

Power Verses:

Ephesians 4:2, "Be completely humble and gentle; be patient, bearing with one another in love." (NIV)

1 Peter 3:7, "You husbands in the same way, live with your wives in an understanding way..." (NAS)

© 2010 by Melanie Chitwood. All rights reserved.

Proverbs 31 Ministries

616-G Matthews-Mint Hill Road

Matthews, NC 28105

www.proverbs31.org

[Judy Harder]

February 10, 2010

How to Grow in Love for God

Rachel Olsen

"Be thankful and say so to Him, bless and affectionately praise His name! For the Lord is good; His mercy and loving-kindness are everlasting, His faithfulness and truth endure to all generations." Psalm 100:4b-5 (AMP)
         
Devotion:

I remember the late-night conversation with my dad, the one I'd been praying would naturally arise.  The one about God, and Jesus, and salvation.  I'd understood these things myself for the first time a few months before, and now it was my desperate hope that my dad would understand them too. But even more than grasping their meaning, I wanted my dad to be drawn to them, to feel them—to experience their truth for himself.

My dad has a strong intellect and I knew the likelihood was high that Dad would settle for a mere understanding of my newfound passion. Yet I longed for my dad to come to love this King of Glory in a way that would propel him to follow Christ.

"But how am I supposed to love someone I can't even see?" Dad said. 

His words were ordered as a question but I couldn't quite tell if he was asking, or simply dismissing.  Either way, I didn't know how to answer him. But I do now. I now realize a huge key to loving Jesus is gratitude.

1 John 4:19 explains, "We love Him, because He first loved us" (AMP). Even though we were sinful and He is holy, God loved us.  Even though we were ignorant or hostile towards Him, He still loved us.  Even though we were intent on making our own way in life, He still made a path for us—Jesus—leading to life with Him. It takes belief in this fact, and gratitude for it, for a heart to truly love God in return.

The religious leaders of Jesus' day, the Pharisees, were masters at following God's laws, but failures at loving Him. In Luke 7, a Pharisee invited Jesus over for dinner. A prostitute entered the dining room, knelt and began weeping, kissing, and wiping Jesus' feet with her hair. Then she perfumed them. The Pharisee grew indignant that Jesus allowed this from such a sinful woman.

So Jesus asked the Pharisee a question: If a moneylender cancelled the debts of two men—one that owed him $5,000, and one that owed him $50—which one would love him more after that? "I suppose the one who had the bigger debt canceled," the Pharisee answered (Luke 7:43, NIV). Jesus told him he was correct.  Then Jesus added:

"Look at this woman kneeling here. When I entered your home, you didn't offer me water to wash the dust from my feet, but she has washed them with her tears and wiped them with her hair. You didn't greet me with a kiss, but from the time I first came in, she has not stopped kissing my feet. You neglected the courtesy of olive oil to anoint my head, but she has anointed my feet with rare perfume. I tell you, her sins—and they are many—have been forgiven, so she has shown me much love." (Luke 7:44-47, NLT)

This woman realized the magnitude of her sins, and the extent of God's love for her to forgive all those sins and bid her to come to Him. And she was grateful. She was so thankful, that her heart overflowed with love for Jesus, sparking her extravagant display of affection and appreciation.

There is a direct correlation between our level of awareness of what we deserve—an awareness of our own sin—and our level of gratitude and love for God. A key to growing in love for God is to be aware of what He has done, is doing, and will do for us, and to remain grateful for it.

No one will ever do more for you than Christ has done—open your eyes to this fact today and be filled with gratitude. "Be thankful and say so to Him, bless and affectionately praise His name! For the Lord is good; His mercy and loving-kindness are everlasting, His faithfulness and truth endure to all generations" (Psalm 100:4b-5).

Dear Lord, I am thankful today for the love You showed me, long before I even noticed it. I'm grateful for Your blessings and grace. In Jesus' Name, Amen.

Related Resources:

To learn more about loving God through gratitude, visit Rachel's blog

God's Purpose for Every Woman: a Compilation of Favorite P31 Devotions by various Encouragement for Today authors; Gen Editors Rachel Olsen and Lysa TerKeurst

Saying Thank You offers practical ways to give gratitude to God

Come Along: The Journey into a More Intimate Faith by Jane Rubietta

Application Steps: 

Reflect on the many reasons you have to be grateful to God. Rejoice and praise Him!

Reflections: 

No one will ever do more for you than God, through Christ, has already done.

How does your perspective on today change when you consider the tremendous gifts of grace, mercy, love and eternal life given you through Christ?

Power Verses:

1 Chronicles 16:34, "Give thanks to the LORD, for he is good; his love endures forever." (NIV)

Hebrews 12:28, "Therefore, since we receive a kingdom which cannot be shaken, let us show gratitude, by which we may offer to God an acceptable service with reverence and awe;" (NASB)

© 2010 by Rachel Olsen. All rights reserved.

Proverbs 31 Ministries

616-G Matthews-Mint Hill Road

Matthews, NC 28105

www.Proverbs31.org

[Judy Harder]

February 11, 2010

Love, Respect and Admiration

Tracie Miles

"However, each one of you also must love his wife as he loves himself, and the wife must respect her husband." Ephesians 5:33 (NIV)
       
Devotion:

When I married my wonderful husband twenty years ago, I fully intended to unconditionally love, respect and admire him. I had great intentions of being the perfect wife, with sweet words, a romantic kiss and dinner on the table every evening.  But then careers took off, bills increased, children were born, laundry piles grew, and life got chaotic.  Along the way I subconsciously created a measuring stick of expectations for whether my husband actually deserved my love and respect.

When marriage doesn't meet the unrealistic expectations we imagine before the wedding, and real life kicks in, women can inadvertently get lured into tearing down their husbands, and their marriages as well. 

In fact, the longer couples are together, the easier it becomes to not only see each other's flaws, but to mercilessly criticize them.  This eventually leads to low tolerances, short tempers, minimal patience, and a woeful lack of marital bliss.  As a result, those gifts of unconditional love, respect and admiration that were once offered so freely become gifts that we are not so willing to offer at all.

A few months ago I picked up The Man Whisperer, written by my friend and author Rick Johnson. The title intrigued me, as I was anxious to rekindle some passion in my own marriage  Little did I know that God would use the truths shared in this book to step on my toes and cause me to take an inward look.

Many relationship topics are covered, but as I read, God convicted my heart about things I had said to my husband just days earlier.  As I recalled some of the critical comments that had rolled off my tongue so easily, I became overwhelmed with regret and disappointment. I had fallen into a bad habit of tearing down my man with my words, not fully realizing the toll it was taking on him.  Most importantly, I began to realize the powerful influence I have on my husband and marriage by simply choosing words that encourage, instead of discourage. 

As women, we have the power to build up or tear down our husbands every day, merely by the respect we give and the amount of faith we let him know we have in him.  Respect and admiration are two of the most powerful tools a woman has to influence her husband. I realized I had fallen short lately in giving those two precious gifts to my man.

I prayed, asking God to help me control my tongue and fill my heart and mouth with words that would make my husband feel appreciated, admired, respected and loved, regardless of whether I felt he deserved it. I prayed that God would convict my heart when critical thoughts crept into my mind, and help me avoid the temptation to say them out loud.

Within just a few weeks, I saw a change - in me, in my husband's demeanor, and in our relationship: a change that rekindled that unconditional love, respect and admiration that I set out to give him all along, and that I also wanted in return.

Through a wife's gifts of unconditional love, respect, and admiration, we can help our husbands become the great men that God created them to be, and in turn, create the marriages we always dreamed of.

Dear Lord, help me to tame my tongue and focus on building up my man.  Help me break free of the habit to criticize, even when warranted.  Open my eyes to the positive, not the negative. Draw us closer, and help us both nurture a strong and loving marriage. In Jesus' Name, Amen.

Related Resources:

Visit Tracie's blog for more about this topic and to enter for a chance to win an audio CD by Rick Johnson called Power Tools for Women

The Man Whisperer by Rick Johnson

What a Husband Needs from His Wife and/or What a Wife Needs from Her Husband by Melanie Chitwood

Love Notes on His Pillow: And Other Everyday Ways to Keep Your Love Alive by Linda J. Gilden

Application Steps: 

Think about how important your husband's love is to you and consider that your respect means just as much to him.

If your marriage seems strained right now, think about your conversations with your husband lately. Have your comments been encouraging and uplifting, or discouraging and destructive?

Instead of chocolates this Valentine's day, give your husband what he really desires- respect, admiration and love.

Reflections: 

Am I in the habit of tearing down my husband?

Do our daily conversations leave him feeling respected and admired, or unrespected and criticized?

Power Verses:

Genesis 2:24, "For this reason a man will leave his father and mother and be united to his wife, and they will become one flesh." (NIV)

1 Corinthians 13:2-7, "Love is patient and kind; love does not envy or boast; it is not arrogant or rude. It does not insist on its own way; it is not irritable or resentful; it does not rejoice at wrongdoing, but rejoices with the truth. Love bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things." (ESV)

James 3:5b-6a, "Consider what a great forest is set on fire by a small spark. The tongue also is a fire, a world of evil among the parts of the body." (NIV)

© 2010 Tracie Miles. All rights reserved.

Proverbs 31 Ministries

616-G Matthews-Mint Hill Road

Matthews, NC 28105

www.proverbs31.org

[Judy Harder]

February 12, 2010

When God Serenades You

Micca Monda Campbell

"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."

Zephaniah 3:17(NIV)
     
Devotion:

Growing up I had to watch whatever my sister wanted to watch on television because she was the oldest. She liked the black and white classics that featured Dean Martin, Jerry Lewis, and Frank Sinatra to name a few. Over time, I began to enjoy them too.

I really liked the part of the movie when Dean Martin would serenade the woman he loved at her bedroom window. I thought that was so romantic! In fact, I would get a funny feeling in my stomach. Somehow, I knew deep inside that I, too, would be serenaded by some lovesick man. I didn't know when, but I was certain it was going to happen.

Well, guess what?

It never happened.

At first, I was bummed. Then, one day shortly after I had experienced tragedy in my life, and was feeling completely unloved, I came across our key verse.

"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."

Right away, I knew God had led me to this truth. How else does a person stumble into the book of Zephaniah if not led there by God? At the time, I didn't know the book of Zephaniah existed. But it did exist, and the words on the page read like a personal note written just for me. Micca, I will rejoice over you with singing!

That's when it dawned on me. God delights in me so much that it causes Him to break out in song!  Suddenly, it no longer mattered that no one else has ever serenaded me. God, Himself, serenades me. He sings to me. He sings over me and He sings about me! It's His joy to do so. Better yet, He delights in serenading you, too.

I pray that you will allow this verse to sink deep into your heart today so you'll have it when you need it. Trust me. There will be a day when you will need it. You see, we tend to believe that because we are children of God that nothing bad will ever happen to us. When the bad does happen, we believe the lie every time.

I knew it, God! I knew You really didn't love me.

Friend, that is a lie from the pit of hell. Nothing is further from the truth. God, indeed, loves you because He can't do anything less. You and I cause God's supernatural heart to skip a beat at the mere thought of us. Therefore, the next time you're feeling unloved because of some adversity in your life stop and say, "NO! That's a lie. God loves me so much that He can't help but sing about it!"

Dear Lord, I need Your loving touch today. Let Your love song wash over me and fill my heart. I release my feelings of doubt to You and rest in Your undying love. In Jesus' Name, Amen.

Related Resources:

An Untroubled Heart: Finding Faith that is Stronger than All Your Fears by Micca Campbell

Micca Campbell's Testimony DVD by Micca Campbell
Visit Micca's blog for more encouragement today.

The Wonder of His Love: A Journey into the Heart of God by Nancy Stafford
Application Steps: 

Look up each verse and memorize them. When you need to experience God's love, close your eyes and repeat them to your heart: Jeremiah 31:3; 1 John 4:16; John 15:16; Isaiah 54:10.

Reflections: 

What causes you to doubt God's love?

Is there better proof of God's love than giving His own life for you? Have you experienced the power of God's Love through Christ? Accept His invitation today to know Him?

Power Verses:

1 Corinthians 13:8, "Love never fails." (NIV) 

Isaiah 54:10, "My love and kindness will not depart from you." (NIV)

© 2010 by Micca Campbell. All rights reserved.

Proverbs 31 Ministries

616-G Matthews-Mint Hill Road

Matthews, NC 28105

www.proverbs31.org

[Judy Harder]

February 15, 2010

Every Yes Involves a No

Glynnis Whitwer

"Suppose one of you wants to build a tower.  Will he not first sit down and estimate the cost to see if he has enough money to complete it."

Luke 14:28 (NIV)
       
Devotion:

So, how are you doing on your New Year's Resolutions?  If you are like many of us, frustration has set in.  Maybe you are already behind on your read-through-the-Bible-in-a-year plan.  Are the numbers on the scale increasing, rather than decreasing?  Did that goal to reduce television watching stop when American Idol started?

While we love to set goals, and dream of becoming a slimmed down, spiritually mature and more well-read version of ourselves, the living out of those goals is infinitely more challenging. 

That's because every time we set a goal for ourselves, a more appealing alternative is presented.  Have you noticed this phenomenon?  Just as you decide to diet, someone brings you a plate of brownies they "baked just for you."  As soon as you decide to get up early and pray, the cold weather makes it much more appealing to stay in bed.  And that decision to stop gossiping gets challenged when some interesting news about your boss finds its way to your inbox. 

Every good intention will be met with a challenge at some point.  Without a plan, most of us will abandon those intentions, telling ourselves we knew we couldn't  _________ (fill in the blank).

The reason this happens is we overlook the fact that every "yes" we say, requires a "no" to something else.  Without that understanding, we operate outside of how life works, and underestimate the cost of achieving our goals. 

Here's an example of what I mean.  When you say "yes" to reading your Bible every day, you have to say "no" to the morning news or your favorite novel.  If you say "yes" to teaching a small group of women, you'll say "no" to your favorite Tuesday night tv show, plus free time to prepare.

There will always be a sacrifice of something when we desire to move forward in an area of our lives.  Goals are exciting.  Possibility of change is alluring.  Sacrifice is hard, but worth it in the big picture of our lives.  In fact, it's the road Jesus called His followers to walk daily.

The resolutions you set at the beginning of the year have great value if they are helping you grow into a more disciplined, mature follower of Christ.  However, if you feel like you've reached a plateau, or hit a dead end, perhaps it's time to evaluate if you've said enough "no's." 

I invite you to remove the "New Year's" label, and reevaluate the goals you set in January.  Recommit to them and consider what you'll have to sacrifice to make them happen.  The good news about sacrifice is we serve a Lord who lived it out on our behalf.  When we are frustrated with the cost of achieving our goals, we can always turn to the One who understands. 
                                                                                                                                                                         
Dear Lord, I praise You and thank You for sacrificing Your son, Jesus, so I could live forever with You. In light of that, help me keep my sacrifices in perspective.  I ask for Your strength to fulfill the dreams and goals You have placed in my heart. In Jesus' Name, Amen.

Related Resources:

What Happens When Women Say Yes to God by Lysa TerKeurst

Visit Glynnis' blog for some tips on setting goals

Work@Home: A Practical Guide for Women Who Want to Work from Home by Glynnis Whitwer

P31 Woman magazine

Application Steps: 

Identify one goal you have for yourself.  What do you need to say "no" to for that to happen? Write down the "no's" for future reference when you get off track.

Reflections: 

What mental battles happen when you decide to sacrifice one thing for another?

What are some ways you can keep your commitment to your goals fresh and realistic?

Power Verses:

Luke 9:23, "Then he said to them all: "If anyone would come after me, he must deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me." (NIV)

Galatians 5:22-23, "But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law." (NIV)

© 2010 by Glynnis Whitwer. All rights reserved.

Proverbs 31 Ministries

616-G, Matthews-Mint Hill Road

Matthews, NC 28105

www.proverbs31.org

[Judy Harder]

February 16, 2010

The Wonder Bat

Lynn Cowell

"The weapons we fight with are not the weapons of the world. On the contrary, they have divine power to demolish strongholds." 2 Corinthians 10:4 (NIV)
       
Devotion:

"An asset to the team." That is how my daughter's coach described her. Madi was great behind the plate. Her arm could get the best of them out at second base. She could move from catcher to first base position with ease, and was flexible in the outfield. Yet her batting was weak and she was last on her team. Her coach's diagnosis: her bat. Madi had grown over the summer and needed a longer, heavier, stronger bat.

My husband began his research. Best bats for girl's softball was his Google criteria. He studied their size. He read recommendations and manufacturer's guarantees. He compared results, tests and costs. After days of investigating, he purchased the "weapon" as he called it.

The instructions said my daughter needed at least fifty good hits with that bat until she would be comfortable with the new feel. They were right; at first she didn't like it. It was uncomfortable and heavy. But she kept on using it.  We played in the yard and went to batting cages. We put in the time and effort to be sure she would be well adjusted to her new equipment before she used it in a real game.

My daughter is now batting at the top of the order! Doubles, triples, even home runs are her norm. She wields that bat, smacks the ball and racks up points for her team.

Often, we are getting along pretty good in life, but there is just that one area where we are a bit weak. Maybe life has ramped up; trials have gotten harder and we haven't evaluated the tools we are using. Self-help books, chatting with friends, infomercials, time on the internet can be helpful, but there are other tools we can wield that will help us even more: the Bible and prayer.

As we grow in our faith, we need to look for passages in God's Word that will empower us in this game called life. We should ask Jesus what He sees that needs to change so we can live in His victory.  When fear, doubt, anger, lust or pride are thrown our way, we can get equipped to swing back with memorized verses of the Word. Instead of allowing complaining, grumbling and discouragement to slide into home plate, we can strike them out of the game with continuous prayer.

The Word is called a double-edged sword, but unless we practice applying the verses to our lives, it does us no good. Unless we read the reviews, the testimonies of the men and women in the Bible, we may not be convinced that it will really make a difference. Unless we invest time to use the Word and prayer as our "weapons,", we will never know what it is like to bat at the top of the order.

Now, when Madi gets up to bat I feel confident.  Her father and I have given her the "weapon" she needs to be successful in softball. Just like Madi, your Father has also given you  what you need for life. Just like Madi, you are going to need to grab hold of those weapons and practice many, many times until you are comfortable with them.  And, just like Madi, as you step up to the plate, you can hit a home run!
                                                                                                                                           
Dear Lord, I need You today. Show me where I need to use the weapons You've given us, Your Word and prayer, in my life in order to be victorious. Give me the strength to learn Your Word, meditating on it over and over and over again until I am comfortable with using it as a weapon against the enemy of my heart.  In Jesus' Name, Amen.

Related Resources:

Do You Know Him?

Holding His Hand: A devotional for teen girls by Beka Dewitt
When Life and Beliefs Collide: How Knowing God Makes a Difference by Carolyn Custis James
Visit Lynn's blog
Application Steps: 

Go to BibleGateway and do a word search on your greatest struggle - jealousy, envy, conflict, etc. Write out one of the verses regarding this difficulty that speaks to you and read it several times a day until you know it well.

Visit our Everyday Life section to read how other woman are finding victory in the areas where you need a stronger weapon.

Reflections: 

What areas in your life do you currently feel like you are losing a battle?

Do you have a friend that you could ask to pray for you on a regular basis in your battle?

Power Verses:

Ephesians 6:17, "Take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God." (NIV)

Hebrews 4:12, "For the word of God is living and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart." (NIV)

© 2010 by Lynn Cowell. All rights reserved.

Proverbs 31 Ministries

616-G Matthews-Mint Hill Road

Matthews, NC 28105

www.proverbs31.org

[Judy Harder]

February 17, 2010

Out of the Mud Puddle

Amy Carroll

"Praise the Lord, O my soul; all my inmost being, praise his holy name...who redeems your life from the pit and crowns you with love and compassion..."

Psalm 103:1, 4 (NIV)

Devotion:

One weekday my employer, the best boss in the world, held our quarterly meeting in a local salon. As the hard calluses were rubbed off my feet, my heart softened, too, and the news about our company became secondary to the news about the life of one woman.  I was seated next to Brenda, a co-worker to whom I'm always drawn. We talked and laughed as we soaked our worn hands and rough feet.  The atmosphere was relaxed and our conversation turned toward Brenda's mother, Lillian.

Brenda recounted one remarkable story after another of Lillian's last days as she lay in a nursing home bed dying of cancer.  Her mother was a bastion of encouragement and regaled everyone with delightful stories of her past and of God's goodness despite her dwindling energy and the stupor usually brought on by pain medication.  As I listened to Brenda describe this brave saint, I became overwhelmed with emotion, and decided I wanted to be just like Lillian when I grow up! 

People were still drawn to her even as she struggled with declining health, removal from her home and loss of freedom.  Brenda proudly told of her mother's positive attitude and how she refused to complain even on days that were painful and difficult.  "She taught me everything about living," Brenda said with emotion, "and now she's teaching me how to die."

At the end of our conversation, I asked Brenda if her mother would be willing to talk to me.  I wanted to know the secret of this outstanding woman's life.  Brenda asked her mother if I could visit, and Lillian agreed.  I arrived one afternoon to find her reclining with oxygen tubes running into her nose.  She was diminutive in her large hospital-style bed and her voice was soft, but Lillian's eyes sparkled at the opportunity to tell some of her life's stories.

Like most women of her age, Lillian's life had held both joy and sorrow.  She had grown up with scant financial means and struggled monetarily through many years in early marriage.  She had married at 17 and had three children in three years.  Her fourth child was to arrive 14 years later.  Even though she described these years as difficult, she spoke on and on of her love for her husband, their happy marriage and their mutual joy in their children.

Her big heartbreaks came later in life when her beloved mother was raped at age 80 in her own yard.  Later in a nursing home, Lillian's mother was abused physically by a staff member despite the fact that her children visited every day.  Many years passed, and tragedy struck again.  Lillian lost her granddaughter and a great-grandson in a terrible car accident one icy night.

Through all these difficult times, Lillian clung to Jesus and served those around her.  She ended our conversation by telling me, "In all that we've been through, we knew that our strength comes from the Lord.  Whenever we fell in a mud puddle, we just jumped right out into His arms."  In a conversation rich with memories and wisdom, Lillian described an up-close, intimacy with God that both sustained and matured her through a lifetime of trials and triumphs.  Jumping out of a mud puddle and into His arms is the kind of childlike exuberance and trust that can bring a woman to the end of her life with a still-growing, vibrant relationship with Jesus Himself. 

Lillian died soon after our conversation, but her legacy lives on.  She was a woman of tremendous faith and resiliency who set an example for her children, her friends, the staff of a nursing home and me.  She'll forever be one of my heroes.
                                                                                                                                                                       
Dear Lord, I desire to leave a legacy like Lillian's.  Help me live a life that is completely dependent on You.  I raise my arms to You and jump knowing that You will catch me, clean the mud off of me and hold me tight. In Jesus' Name, Amen.

Related Resources:

Do You Know Him?

Visit Amy's blog-Ponderings from the Pathway

Finding a Mentor, Being a Mentor by Donna Otto
Becoming More Than a Good Bible Study Girl by Lysa TerKeurst

Application Steps: 

Seek out and listen to the stories of faith from an older saint.  It will be a blessing to both of you!

Reflections: 

What is my response when I've "fallen in a mud puddle"?

Who can I encourage with stories of God's goodness and sufficiency?

Power Verses:

Psalm 116:7, "Be at rest once more, O my soul, for the Lord has been good to you." (NIV) 

Psalm 116:13, "I will lift up the cup of salvation and call on the name of the Lord." (NIV)

© 2010 by Amy Carroll. All rights reserved.

Proverbs 31 Ministries

616-G Matthews-Mint Hill Road

Matthews, NC 28105

www.proverbs31.org

[Judy Harder]

February 18, 2010

Don't Read Your Bible

Lysa TerKeurst

"Turn my eyes away from worthless things; preserve my life according to your word."

Psalm 119: 37 (NIV)

Devotion:

I have a request today. Don't read your Bible.

Does that shock you? Relieve you? Make you angry at worst? Curious at best?

Read on and see what I mean by my request.

There have been many days in my Christian journey where God was reduced to something on my to-do list. Somewhere along the way I picked up a checklist of sorts with what good Christians are supposed to do: Pray. Read your Bible. Go to church. Don't cuss. Be nice.

Being the rule following girl I am, I subscribed to the good things on that list and waited with great expectations to receive the zap of contentment and happiness good Christians girls are supposed to exude. But then I felt something was wrong me. I still felt restless. I still reacted in anger. I still felt a bit hollow.

I was going through all the motions but didn't feel connected to Jesus. Others around me seemed very connected. They would talk of being 'moved by the spirit.' They would hear from God Himself. They would clap their hands and shout amen in the middle of a sermon that sounded like Greek to me.

I often felt like a weightless soul grasping at the air hoping to somehow snag this Jesus that was just out of reach. Have you ever been there?

Have you ever sat in a church service watching everyone else eagerly flip open their Bibles to the exact right passage while you were left sweating because you didn't have a clue how to find what they were reading? Have you ever walked out of church watching everyone else smile and shake hands and seem so gentle while you mentally beat yourself up for throwing the orange juice carton across the kitchen that very morning?

Suddenly this nagging sense creeps in that you don't belong- that you'll never get it- that you don't have what it takes to be a Christian. That's where I was. I lived there for a long time until someone challenged me to stop simply reading my Bible because it was a thing on my Christian checklist. They challenged me to experience God.

In other words, look at the words in the Bible as a love letter. God's love letter to a broken down girl. A love letter not meant to simply be read... but a love letter meant to be lived.

I won't lie. It took a while. It took many days of sitting down with my Bible while praying gut honest prayers. I told God I wasn't connecting and didn't understand. I asked Him to help me. I begged Him to help me. Finally, one verse suddenly came alive to me one day. I literally felt moved when I read it. I think I read it 100 times that day. I memorized it and thought about it all day long. All week long. Maybe all month long.

I was overjoyed. I had a verse. A verse where Jesus spoke tenderly and clearly and specifically to me. It was Jeremiah 29:11, "For I know the plans I have for you declares the Lord. Plans to prosper not harm you, plans to give you a future and a hope." Slowly, I added more verses. Day by day. Chapter by chapter. And eventually my Bible became my greatest treasure, my love letter.

Every day now I open up God's word with great expectation and intentionally look in the chapter or two I read for my verse for that day. Usually one verse among the many I read during my devotion time, grabs my heart and I know was meant just for the day ahead. And then I attempt to live that verse out in some way that very day.  When I make the connection between what happens in my life that day and why I needed that verse, I experience God.  I see Him being active in my life and I become even more deeply aware of His constant presence.

I'm sure some Bible scholars would probably take issue with my simplistic approach. But it sure has helped me throw less orange juice cartons across the kitchen.

And 'less thrown cartons' sure seems like a step in the right direction to me.

So, back to my original statement. Don't read your Bible. In other words don't simply read it because you have to check it off the Christian to do list. Read it with great expectations of connecting more deeply and living more authentically with God.

Dear Lord, thank you for showing me the Christian life can be so much more than a checklist.  I want to not only read your Word, I want to live it each day.  Please give me the wisdom to understand and the courage to become more like You each day . In Jesus' Name, Amen.

Related Resources:

Visit Lysa TerKeurst's blog  for your chance to win a copy of her new DVD teaching series featuring a session on how to study the Bible for everyday girls like us.

Becoming More Than a Good Bible Study Girl by Lysa TerKeurst

What Happens When Women Say Yes to God by Lysa TerKeurst

Application Steps: 

Read Psalm 119 today and make a list of some of the amazing ways God's word can help us everyday. 

Each time you sit down to read your Bible, ask God specifically to help you understand and apply what you're learning.

Reflections: 

Which of the promises from Psalm 119 touch you most personally right now?   

Power Verses:

Psalm 119: 15-16, "I meditate on your precepts and consider your ways.  I delight in your decrees;  I will not neglect your word."

Psalm 119: 66, "Teach me knowledge and good judgment, for I believe in your commands." (NIV) 

© 2010 by Lysa TerKeurst. All rights reserved.

Proverbs 31 Ministries

616-G, Matthews-Mint Hill Road

Matthews, NC 28105

www.proverbs31.org

[Judy Harder]

February 19, 2010

Wandering Children

Susanne Scheppmann

"The earnest prayer of a righteous person has great power and produces wonderful results." James 5:16b (NLT)

Devotion:

Research shows that our children are wandering from the faith. "Why?" we ask. The answer is not simple. Even the experts realize the reason our children wander from the faith is multifaceted.

The truth is our children are straying from Christianity rapidly as soon as they move into their twenties. According to a recent George Barna study, "In total, six out of ten twentysomethings were involved in a church during their teen years, but have failed to translate that into active spirituality during their early adulthood." Again, there is no concrete answer to the questions of why our children wander. 

But I know this statistic holds true in my own life. I became a Christian at the age of 15. I was on fire for Jesus. I loved Him from the depths of my soul—with all my heart, mind and strength. But then in my mid-twenties I walked away from my faith. Why?

For me, it was because I could not understand pain and suffering. If God was good, how could He allow all this junk in my life? I remember going to my pastor's wife for help with this question. However, I felt she criticized me for my lack of faith rather than help me comprehend God's ways. So I didn't return to her for counseling; instead I turned to my friends who seemed to understand my confusion. Sadly, they weren't walking strong in their own faith and inadvertently led me further away from God.

For seven years I walked in a desert of destructive sin. 

Finally, after years of frustrated living, Jesus drew me back to Him. It wasn't a big church event. It wasn't a friend who witnessed to me about my sins. It was the Spirit of God who nudged me back to being a devoted follower of Christ. It wasn't mystical. It was not full of fireworks—it occurred in a Volkswagen Jetta in the parking lot of Knott's Berry Farm. It was just Jesus reconnecting with His lost lamb because of the prayers my mother prayed for me.

I do believe wholeheartedly that my mother's prayers were answered. Her prayers never wavered. Her love never failed. She persevered when the future looked bleak for her eldest child's faith walk. Never underestimate the power of a parent's prayer. Our key verse declares, "The earnest prayer of a righteous person has great power and produces wonderful results." If you are a parent of a wandering child, hold fast to this verse in your mind and pray for your child.

God hears. He answers. I know this to be true because I was child who wandered, but was brought back by the fervent prayers of a praying parent and the loving hand of God.
                                                                                                                                                                       
Dear Lord, give me the strength and faith to keep praying for my child. Help me understand, though it might take years, You are a God who hears and answers the prayers of a praying parent. In Jesus' Name, Amen.

Related Resources:

Do You Know Him?

Divine Prayers for Despairing Parents: Words to Pray When You Don't Know What to Say by Susanne Scheppmann
Visit Susanne's Blog

Raising a Spiritually Strong Daughter: Guiding Her Toward a Faith That Lasts by Susie Shellenberger
Find more encouragement with Spiritual Warfare and Praying for Our Kids
Application Steps: 

Determine to pray for your child at least one minute every day. Ask God to touch your wandering child's heart. Determine not to give into despair and doubt. At the close of your prayer recite today's key verse.

Reflections: 

Do I blame myself for my child's wandering?

Have I given up on the effort of praying for my child?

Power Verses: 

1 Timothy 1:16, "But for that very reason I was shown mercy so that in me, the worst of sinners, Christ Jesus might display his unlimited patience as an example for those who would believe on him and receive eternal life." (NIV)

Luke 15:4-6, "What man among you, if he has a hundred sheep and has lost one of them, does not leave the ninety-nine in the open pasture and go after the one which is lost until he finds it?" When he has found it, he lays it on his shoulders, rejoicing.
And when he comes home, he calls together his friends and his neighbors, saying to them, 'Rejoice with me, for I have found my sheep which was lost!'" (NASB)

Luke 15:20, "So he got up and went to his father. But while he was still a long way off, his father saw him and was filled with compassion for him; he ran to his son, threw his arms around him and kissed him." (NIV)



© 2010 by Susanne Scheppmann. All rights reserved.

Proverbs 31 Ministries

616-G Matthews-Mint Hill Road

Matthews, NC 28105

www.proverbs31.org

[Judy Harder]

February 22, 2010
Jesus in the Fog

Tracie Miles

1 Peter 5:7 Give all your worries and cares to God, for he cares about you (NLT)
     
Devotion:

I was full of emotions as my husband and I drove to pick up my dad for surgery. A knot formed in the pit of my stomach.  I was worried about the extensive surgery that he would face later that morning.  I was anxious, knowing that the possibility existed to receive very bad news from the surgeon.  I was fretting over various circumstances, and as I prayed for God to intervene, I began to feel hot tears stinging my eyes.

But then, through those tears, I saw something in the fog.

Due to the dense, heavy fog, my husband was driving slowly when I noticed the figure in the distance, walking straight towards us.  I thought it was odd for anyone to be walking outside on such a cool and foggy morning, but as we got closer, my eyes widened, and my heart began to pound. 

This figure began to resemble a silhouette of someone I recognized - someone who should not be standing in the middle of the road on a misty, foggy morning.  As we approached this person, in front of my dad's house, I noticed that he had on baggy tan pants, a soft white shirt, and was wearing no shoes. He appeared to be in his mid-thirties, with brown wavy hair and a full beard, neatly kept. He looked peaceful and kind. 

He looked exactly like Jesus. 

My heart skipped a beat.  My thoughts were racing.  My intellectual mind knew that Jesus would not be standing in the middle of a road on a foggy day in a small beach town in North Carolina, but my heart told me that He was there.  I could not take my eyes off of this person, as chill bumps flushed my body from head to toe. As we drove slowly past him, this man in the fog made direct eye contact with me, and a sweet, gentle smile washed over his face. 

For those brief moments, it felt as if I was looking into the eyes of Jesus, and a feeling of peace flooded through me. It was as if His holy peace penetrated my heart, and assured me that, regardless of the outcome, everything would be okay.  Throughout that day at the hospital, I could not get the man in the fog out of my head, and I truly felt as if I had experienced a Jesus encounter.

Now I am not saying that I actually saw Jesus, of course, but I do believe that He divinely designed that meeting in the road, and that He used a sign that I would recognize as Him, to saturate my heart with the reminder that He really does walk among us.  God knew I needed to know that He saw my daddy, understood my fears, and cared. He also knew I really needed to "see" Him that day.   

Throughout life, we are all faced with fears of the unknown and personal problems that seem hopeless or scary, and it is so easy to get caught up in our emotions, forgetting to look for God. In some situations, we may even find ourselves wondering if God is really aware of our problems, and doubt if He really cares, but 1 Peter 5:7 is a sweet reminder that He is aware, He does care, and He is with us.

At times, life can make us feel like we are in a fog - a fog so dense and heavy that it seems nearly impossible to feel or see God at all.  But even if we can't "see" Him, He has promised to be with us, if we surrender our hearts and sincerely seek out His face. Then as we walk with Him, and sincerely believe He is walking with us, we enter into a place to receive His provisions, His blessings, His comfort and His peace.   

When we prepare our hearts to experience Him, He will prepare our eyes to see Him.   

Dear Lord, I seek Your Face with my whole heart.  Help me to see You in a special way. In Jesus' Name, Amen.

Related Resources:

Do You Know Him?

Journey to the Well by Diana Wallis Taylor

Come Thirsty: No Heart Too Dry for His Touch by Max Lucado
Visit Tracie at her blog today
Application Steps: 

If you are full of fearful or discouraged emotions today, close your eyes - picture Jesus walking in the fog, straight towards you, with eyes full of love, a heart full of compassion, and a smile that melts you heart.

Reflections: 

Have I had a hard time seeing God in the midst of my life lately?

Are emotions and doubts clouding my vision?

Do I fully trust God to work in my situations?

Power Verses:

Matthew 5:8, "Blessed are the pure in heart: for they shall see God." (KJV)

Matthew 5:8, "You're blessed when you get your inside world—your mind and heart—put right. Then you can see God in the outside world." (MSG)

© 2010 by Tracie Miles. All rights reserved.
Proverbs 31 Ministries
616-G, Matthews-Mint Hill Road
Matthews, NC 28105
www.Proverbs31.org