Book Review ~ Voices of the True Woman Movement, Chapter 5

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Chapter 5 - A Woman After God's Own Heart

by Janet Parshall

     One question Janet Parshall poses to us as Christian women in this chapter is this:  "Can you accept His will for your life right now, even if it's not what you want?"  I don't know about you but that's a hard question for me to honestly sit and ponder.  It's a struggle to answer, knowing my answer is less than godly.  Yet Hannah, Samuel's mother in the Bible, had a different answer.  

     This chapter caused me to see Hannah in a totally different light than I'd seen her in before.  I never really stopped to think about the huge sacrifice Hannah made.  The courage Hannah had was not of her own human conjuring.  For me, the giving up of any of my children would mean immense pain.  I'm sure Hannah experienced pain but she had the courage to follow through with the commitment she'd made to the Lord before Samuel was even conceived.

     A few quotes from the last portion of this chapter:

• Hannah's story teaches us what it means to be a true woman of God.  She let go of her own plans.  She knew that God was in charge, not her.  She believed Him enough to say yes even when desperation had caused her to go out of her comfort zone and ask for the unthinkable.
• Motherhood is actually one of God's refining fires.  The reality of motherhood is that it's a place to learn surrender, letting go, trusting and believing that God is God.
• True women, like Hannah, trust God enough to believe He has great things planned for the babies He has given us - babies we give back to Him for His use, His kingdom, His glory.

       These are convicting thoughts which made me consider how God's glory is being shown through my own life.  Although Hannah had no idea that her story would last this many generations, she was faithful anyway.  We can learn a lot from her courageous acts.

Trusting you're recognizing God's little kisses to you today!

Repost - Little Girls Gone Wild

Little Girls Gone Wild: Why Daughters Are Acting Too Sexy, Too Soon

I couldn't help sharing this article as it really challenged me to think. Click the link above to read it yourself.

What are my parenting goals as a Christian? To bring up godly girls who love the Lord with all their hearts, souls, minds and strength, not hotties so that all eyes will be on them! Hope this article challenges you to think about all the many choices that are facing us today as parent!  May we, as Christian moms, have the courage to make the right decisions for our children, not the popular decisions.

Blessings!
Suzanne

MIA for a While

     I haven't had much time lately to post on here.  We're in the process of moving and have been packing like crazy maniacs to get it all done.  I keep asking myself why I/we have collected so much stuff since we moved into this home 11 years ago.  Of course, some of it we came here with.  And I keep wondering...what is it that makes me want to hang on to all this stuff, especially the stuff that has no sentimental value attached to it?  The Bible says that one day it's all going to burn up with the rest of the earth.  Also, Jesus told us in Matthew 6:19-21 - "Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy, and where thieves break in and steal.  But store up for yourselves treasures in Heaven, where moth and rust do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal.  For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also."  Pretty convicting stuff!  I'm realizing that many times whatever we own actually owns us.       

     While this is a hectic time for us as a family, God is still good and He's teaching me in and through this process.  I'm trying to see the little kisses from God during this process and just making a feeble attempt to trust Him with it all!

  

Ponderings about Midday Connection ~ Into Abba's Arms

     Earlier this week, I was listening to Midday Connection, a Moody Radio live broadcast that airs in the middle of the day to encourage women.  Where I live, it airs between noon and 1pm, Monday-Friday.  I'd say it's a great way to spend your lunch break and gain some spiritual encouragement.  Most of the time listeners have the option to call in to ask questions or share comments.  That's one of the things that I love about their program.

     When I tuned in this past Tuesday (7/20/10), Sandra Wilson was the guest and the title of the program was "Into Abba's Arms."  No, this wasn't a broadcast about the rock group, Abba, from the 70's.  It was about our "Daddy" in Heaven.  Once I began listening, I was immediately struck by something that Ms. Wilson said and it has resonated with me throughout this week.  It was a statement concerning who we want to please, based on John 12:43 which reads "for they loved the praise of men more than the praise of God."  As Christians, who do we want to please?  Of course, our immediate response, without truly thinking, is God.  But is that genuinely true?  If we take time to think about the actions that characterize us, I think we'll have an honest answer to that question. 

     For example, many times in the past, I didn't think anything of losing my temper...yelling, slamming doors, crying, etc...to get my way.  Who was I trying to please?  Which god of the moment?  Me!  I was my own idol.  How grateful I am that the Lord opened my eyes to that sin, convicted me, and brought about the change that needed to occur in my heart!  Now that was an awesome little kiss from God!  Obviously, I'm not perfect and never will be this side of Heaven, but God is continually convicting me of my sin and molding me more into the likeness of His Son, Jesus Christ. 

     Why is it that we, even as Christians, so desperately desire the approval of others?  It is human nature to want to be accepted.  Also, rejection is a hard pill to swallow.  But even more than that, I believe that we, in the flesh, don't have an accurate understanding of who we are and who God really is - His awesomeness, His sovereignty, His transcendence, His holiness and righteousness, His infinite power, His omniscience, His omnipresence, His infinite wisdom, His faithfulness, His compassion, mercy and grace, His never-ending, undying love for us...need I say  more?!  I could go on but I'll stop there.  If we did have a good grasp of who God truly is and who we are in relation to Him, we'd absolutely, positively, without any shadow of a doubt, desire His approval and have no need or desire of anyone else's approval.  

     So how do we get that accurate understanding of who God is and who we are in relation to Him?  From immersing our minds and souls in God's Word daily, hearing the Word of God being preached, and fellowshiping with other spiritually mature Christians who encourage us and give us biblical guidance.  How else can we expect to walk in truth?  It can only happen through knowing what the Book of Truth, the Bible, says!
      

Image by ryk_neethling via Flickr

     If you'd like to find out more about Midday Connection's daily broadcasts, click on this link:  http://www.moodyradio.org/middayconnection.aspx.  I have been truly blessed by their ministry.   

Trusting you are recognizing little kisses from God today!

Me be Meek and Quiet?

     Recently, I have been doing a summer Bible study with some precious friends.  I've had this book sitting around collecting dust for several years and never took the time to read it.  I'm so glad my friends asked me to join them.  The name of the study - Homeschooling with a Meek and Quiet Spirit by Teri Maxwell.  PLEASE DO NOT STOP READING YET!  Hang with me here!  Those who don't homeschool, keep reading.  If you don't even have children, don't stop here.  Let me say that this book would be good for any Christian to read, especially moms and wives.  Even though not every mom homeschools, we are always teaching our kiddos something when they are nearby.  It may be love or hate, academics or values, giving or taking, building up or tearing down - whatever we are doing with our children, we are always teaching them something either positive or negative.  They learn from us by default - just by being with us.  So whatever character qualities it is that we are displaying, our children are learning from that.  We, as moms, all "homeschool" in some way or another.

      As I have been going through this study, I have been convicted in my spirit that I do not regularly show a meek and quiet spirit to my daughters or my husband, for that matter.  When I say meek and quiet, what I mean is having the self discipline (which comes from the Holy Spirit) to choose to not display my anger when I am angry.  I think meek and quiet many times is actually the opposite of what most people think it is.  It's not allowing others to run over us like we're doormats.  Instead, it's allowing the Holy Spirit to give us the strength to show others love when we don't really feel like showing love in the flesh.  It's responding to others in kindness, not with an ill temper.  Now, is there any way you could imagine that I would respond to my precious children in such a negative manner???  I know - it's hard to believe I would do such a thing.  

     Since I started going through this book, I have been much more conscious, almost constantly, of my response to my daughters and my husband.  I believe that's conviction and I'm so glad.  I have realized that many times I treat mere strangers better than I treat my own family whom I love dearly.  Why is that?  How can I treat someone I barely know better than I treat my own family members?  We take them for granted and we're teaching them, when we treat them badly, that it's okay to do that.  Well, it's not okay.  God tells us that "faith without works is dead" (James 2:20).  If we truly love the Lord, we will show it in our actions.  It's not enough to just say we believe in Jesus as our Lord and Savior, we must live out in our daily lives what we say we believe.  Otherwise, we're "deceiving ourselves" (I John 1:8) into believing the lie that we can say one thing and live another.  It's just not so.  I feel so blessed that the Holy Spirit opened my eyes to this Biblical truth!  

     While it may seem that I was asked to do a review on this book, that is not the case.  I just felt the tug of the Holy Spirit on my heart to share the insights I've gained from this book with others.  I would encourage anyone who's interested in living out their Christian walk daily to pick up a copy and see what God might show you through Teri Maxwell.  You can find the book at this link, http://www.titus2.com/.    

     Thank you Lord for loving me enough to change me from the inside out.  Ah...another little kiss from God!

Grace to you!