A Franciscan Benediction

May God bless you with discomfort

At easy answers, half truths, and superficial relationships,

So that you may live deep within your heart.

May God bless you with anger

At injustice, oppression, and exploitation of people,

So that you may work for justice, freedom, and peace.

May God bless you with tears

To shed for those who suffer pain, rejection, hunger, and war,

So that you may reach out your hand to comfort them and to turn their pain to joy.

And may God bless you with enough foolishness

To believe that you can make a difference in the world,

So that you can do what others claim cannot be done,

To bring justice and kindness to all our children and the poor.

Amen

Wonderful Words of Others: Ted Loder

Empower me

to be a bold participant,

rather than a timid saint in waiting,

in the difficult ordinariness of now,

to exercise the authority of honesty;

rather than to defer to power,

or deceive to get it;

to influence someone for justice,

rather than impress anyone for gain

and, by grace, to find treasures

of joy,

of friendship,

of peace,

hidden in the fields of the daily

you give me to plow.

Wonderful Words of Others: Rick Warren

Abraham was old,
Jacob was insecure,
Leah was unattractive.
Joseph was abused,
Moses stuttered,
Gideon was poor,

Samson was codependent,

Rahab was immoral,

David had affairs and all kinds of family problems,

Elijah was suicidal,

Jeremiah was depressed

Jonah was reluctant,

Naomi was a widow,

John the Baptist was eccentric to say the least,

Peter was impulsive and hot tempered,

Martha worried a lot,

The Samaritan woman had several failed marriages,

Zacchaeus was unpopular,

Thomas had doubts,
Paul had poor health, and
Timothy was timid.

What excuse have you been using?

Gaelic Prayer

You are a shade in the heat,

You are a shelter in the cold,

You are eyes to the blind,

You are a staff to the pilgrim,

You are an island in the sea,

You are a stronghold upon land,

You are a well in the wasteland,

You are healing to the sick.

You are the luck of every joy,

You are the light of the sun's beams,

You are the door of lordly welcome,

You are the pole star of guidance,

You are the step of the roe of the height,

You are the step of the white faced mare,

You are the grace of the swimming swan,

You are the jewel in each mystery.

God's Kinda Woman

God's Kinda Woman is:

• Strong in the Lord

We have this treasure from God, but we are like clay jars that hold the treasure.

This shows that the great power is from God, not from us.

2 Corinthians 4:7 (NCV)

• Dedicated in her heart

Trust in the Lord with all your heart; do not depend on your own understanding.

Proverbs 3:5 (NLT)

• Transformed utterly

Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has gone, the new has come!

2 Corinthians 5:17 (NIV)

• Childlike in her trust

I Tell you the truth, you must accept the kingdom of God as if you were a child,

or you will never enter it.

Luke 18:17 (NCV)

• Joyful in her strengths

I eagerly expect and hope that I will in no way be ashamed,

but will have sufficient courage so that now as always Christ will be exalted in my body,

whether by life or by death. For to me, to live is Christ and to die is gain.

Philippians 1:20-21 (NIV)

• Victorious in her weaknesses

Each time He said, "My grace is all you need. My power works best in weakness."

2 Corinthians 12:9a (NLT)

• Battle ready

Be strong in the Lord and in His mighty power.

Ephesians 6:10 (NLT)

REMEMBER:

I pray that from His glorious unlimited resources

He will empower you with inner strength through His Spirit.

Then Christ will make His home in your hearts as you trust in Him.

Your roots will grow down into God's love and keep you strong.

And may you have the power to understand as all God's people should,

how wide,

how long,

how high,

and how deep His love is.

May you experience the love of Christ, though it is too great to understand fully.

Then you will be made complete with all the fullness of life and power that comes from God.

Ephesians 3:16-19 (NLT)

The ABCs of a Godly Life

A

Abandon Doubt About Your Abilities

B

Be Diligent In Following God’s Still Small Voice

C

Call On Your Lord Regularly For Help

D

Dare To Be Different

E

Eagerly Embrace God’s Unfailing Promises

F

Forgive Faithfully

G

Give Joyful Truths

H

Hope Eternally

I

Initiate Kindness

J

Just Smile

K

Keep Pressing Forward

L

Love Faithfully

M

Make More Time For Prayer

N

No One Can Do Your Job

O

Open Your Heart To God

P

Pray

Q

Query Those You Trust

R

Read Your Bible

S

Stay True

T

Take All The Time You Need To Get It Right

U

Upset The World

V

Victory Is Assured

W

Wage War With Satan

X

X-Ray Your Heart and Fix What’s Broken

Y

Yearn For Goodness

Z

Zealously Pursue Your God-Given Goals

Wonderful Words of Others: Maya Angelou's Phenomenal Woman

I had the delightful privilege to see Ms. Angelou recite this poem!

What a show!!

Phenomenal Woman

By Maya Angelou

Pretty women wonder where my secret lies,

I'm not cute or built to suit a fashion model's size

But when I start to tell them

They think I'm telling lies.

I say,

It's in the reach of my arms,

The span of my hips,

The stride of my step,

The curl of my lips.

I'm a woman

Phenomenally.

Phenomenal woman,

That's me.

I walk into a room

Just as cool as you please,

And to a man,

The fellows stand or

Fall down on their knees.

Then they swarm around me,

A hive of honey bees.

I say

It's the fire in my eyes,

And the flash of my teeth,

The swing in my waist,

And the joy in my feet.

I'm a woman

Phenomenally.

Phenomenal woman,

That's me.

Men themselves have wondered

What they see in me.

They try to much

But they can't touch

My inner mystery.

When I try to show them

They say they still can't see.

I say,

It's in the arch of my back,

The sun of my smile,

The ride of my breasts,

The grace of my style.

I'm a woman

Phenomenally

Phenomenal Woman,

That's me.

Now you understand

Just why my head's not bowed.

I don't shout or jump about

Or have to talk real loud.

When you see me passing

It ought to make you proud.

I say,

It's in the click of my heels,

The bend of my hair,

The palm of my hand,

The need for my care.

'Cause I'm a woman

Phenomenally.

Phenomenal woman,

That's me.

Why Don't We Moms Take Care Of Ourselves?

The Martyr Complex

Well, the first thing that popped into my head was the aura that motherhood carries with it of the whole dignified, humble, nurturing person … the eternal martyr. You know, sacrificing for the kids, the husband, the good of the home. The words selfish or even “me first” is not supposed to be attributed to a mom, is it? We are the point woman for good examples so that means we’re always trying to share/be kind/be patient/forgive/etc. I don’t know about you but the phrase, “But I saw you do it, Mom,” is never used in a positive frame of reference in my house! I love the center bun in a pan of cinnamon rolls – it’s the gooiest – and the last time I’ve had one was around 1987.

This never ending position of motherhood makes us more tired because it’s an emotional thing rather than a physical thing. Why I’ve even got to be patient, loving and attentive when I’m woken up in the dead of night and someone is leaning over me saying, “Mom? I think I’m going to throw up …” I’m expected to say soothingly, “Okay, honey, let’s get into the bathroom quick!” as opposed to what I want to scream, “Well what in heaven’s name are you doing here? GET TO THE BATHROOM!!” Meanwhile husband snores away …


Self Denial Resentment

The self-denial resentment builds up in me. I get the whole whiney kid voice going on in my head that I certainly hope other mom’s recognize. “When was the last time I got to …” or “Will I ever be allowed …” or “Could I just have five minutes to myself …” or “I can’t believe he just said that to me …” or “Would everyone just pretend I died for a day and leave me alone?” And the resentment oozes out of me in bizarre places. I’ll eat a second Skinny Cow ice cream just because I Want To while everyone looks at me in stunned indignation (because no one else is allowed to). I’ll stay up late and watch a television show until eleven o’clock knowing full well I’ll be crabby as all get out the entire next day and everyone will have to walk around me slouched and trying to perfect invisibility. I’ll blow off doing the elliptical because … I Hate To Exercise And I Don’t Want To. My husband will give me The Look and offer to give me a backrub (yes, it’s what you think) and I’ll look him right in the eye (over the cover of my current trashy romance) and say, “My back’s just fine the way it is, thanks.”

I know, I know. All of you reading this are just stunned at my level of rebellion. You’re just in awe.

But self-denial isn’t the root of why it is so difficult for us to care for ourselves. My real answer (after I worked through the whole martyr scenario) is that we moms regularly let our priorities get screwed up. And once we do that … well, we’re in for big trouble.


Right Priorities

Quick, you have absolutely two seconds to list your top three priorities in life … or I don’t know … the dog will throw up on your new living room rug (and he’s just eaten the cat).

As my priorities scramble my self-denial morphs into not caring for myself physically, emotionally and … most importantly spiritually. I say all the above stuff with honesty and a little tongue in cheek humor but misplaced priorities aren’t a joking matter. The self-denial that hurts me most is when I get so far into the rebellion mode that I get rebellious with my spiritual life. “No I won’t do my devotionals today! I’m going to take some me time and read this trashy romance.” “Maybe I’ll just be sick tomorrow and not go to church. That’s a whole bunch of time to myself while the husband and kids go and do the God Thing.” “I’ve got so much on my plate. I’m going to skip Bible study today.” “Teach Sunday school? Are you out of your mind? I haven’t had time to shave my legs this month!” Of course, I get distant in my prayers when I start to spiritually unravel, too. Kind of like if I’m ashamed about how I’m behaving with the family then … whoa, forget about talking with God!

It’s a hole that is absolutely bottomless.

But here’s a surprise. It’s also my perfect opportunity to make God smile.

Do you know that in the entire Bible only one person is described as being “after God’s own heart”? That man was David, son of Jesse. Yeah, he's the one who defeated Goliath and became King of God’s Chosen People. So special that God had Samuel seek him out when he was just a young boy, David was part of the God club for almost as long as … me. (I was baptized at age eight.)

After all these year – meaning numerous failures, spectacular disasters, and jaw dropping bad decisions - I’ve finally decided I’d like to be just like King David. (And no, I don’t care to slay any giants, thank you.) What I mean is I am determined to be a woman after God's own heart – David’s female counterpart (I Samuel 13:14). You see, despite what you might think, David’s outstanding quality was that no matter how many times he failed (and he’s got a load of poor choices on his tally sheet including adultery and murder – I haven’t hit those yet!), he willingly acknowledged his culpability and recommitted himself back into God’s plan as soon as he clued in - even if he was kneeling in the smoking ruins of his life. Hey, I can do that! I’ve got plenty of spectacular failures to work with, that’s for sure. It’s the determination to never give up on God’s purpose for my life that I must continually remind myself about …

… For the Lord has sought out a man after His own heart … I Samuel 13:14 NLT

What are your priorities? I’ll tell you mine – yes, in order: God, my husband, and my kids. Kind of like an inverted pyramid working with the biggest and most reliable from top to bottom. My thinking is if God’s steering my head and heart, then that’s going to flow into my relationship with my husband. If my husband and I are united in like-minded purpose then that’s going to benefit our kids the most. I don’t really think any kid feels justified in saying, “Hey, no fair, you put God before me” or “Hey, no fair, you like Daddy more than me.” (And, if you have a kid that says that - and you think it’s okay - this brief article is hopefully going to make you think of seeking some serious family therapy.)

Committing a life to God means it’s a 24-7 obligation. It’s a serious, life-altering decision. God, by His own words, is a jealous God and does not share. That means if you put anything before Him on your priority list, He’s not happy and you’re already deviating from His prescribed plan. And, before you get all intimidated there’s really good news. God wants us just the way we are: imperfect, whiney, broken, … a mess.


God does His best work in our weaknesses. (Oh, thank goodness.)

Each time He said, “My grace is all you need. My power works best in weakness.” 2 Cor. 12:9a (NLT)

God doesn’t need us mature and experienced. In fact, He likes us the exact opposite. (Hmm, so that’s why my childish side is still around for.)

I tell you the truth, you must accept the kingdom of God as if you were a child,
or you will never enter it. Luke 18:17 (NCV)

God doesn’t need us particularly intelligent. (Ever think, “I don’t understand…”)

Trust in the Lord with all your heart; do not depend on your own understanding. Proverbs 3:5 (NLT)

God doesn’t care about our past history. (None. Of. It.)

Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has gone, the new has come! 2 Cor. 5:17 (NIV)

God wants to reveal to us (that means you) The Truth of The Universe. (Not everyone is going to be told this you know. You’re already in an elite group.)

Then Jesus prayed this prayer: “O, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, thank you for hiding the truth from those who think themselves so wise and clever, and for revealing it to the childlike.” Matthew 11:25 (NLT)

God is the strongest ally you need for anything that you could possible face in this world. Anything. (What are you afraid of?)

I'm absolutely convinced that nothing—nothing living or dead, angelic or demonic, today or tomorrow, high or low, thinkable or unthinkable—absolutely nothing can get between us and God's love because of the way that Jesus our Master has embraced us. Romans 8:38-39 (MSG)

We’re supposed to put ourselves in God’s Hands. We’re supposed to bring all of our weaknesses, failures, fears, confusion, and childish outbursts to Him and He … works magic. That’s how we’re supposed to care for ourselves.

All’s we have to do is stop. Just stop. Anywhere, anytime, anyplace. Stop and make sure that God is still at the top of the priority pyramid. Stop and make sure that you are being a woman after God’s Own Heart. Stop and make sure that whatever you’re doing you’re making God smile.



Susan McGeown is a wife, mother, daughter, sister, friend, aunt, uncle (don’t ask), teacher, author … but, most importantly, a “woman after God’s own heart.” Living in Bridgewater, New Jersey, with her husband of over fifteen years and their three children, writing stories is just about the best way she can imagine spending her free time. Each of Sue’s stories champions those emotions nearest and dearest to her: faith, joy, hope and love.

Sue’s Website: http://www.faithinspiredbooks.com/
Sue’s Blog: http://www.faithinspiredbooks.blogspot.com/
Sue’s Books: http://stores.lulu.com/store.php?fAcctID=681731

Big Black Arrows and Breathless Anticipation

My husband David and I regularly pray for Big Black Arrows, do you? Maybe I should explain myself. You may think we’re praying for God to paint Big Black Arrows on the ground or on the wall or even hang one in the sky so we know unequivocally where we should to go and what we should do. Ha, right?

Actually, that is exactly what we want.

Our theory is that we are ready, willing and able to go or do anything God wants us to do. This is said with all sincerity – we want to stay on the path God wants us to be on morning, noon, and night. The problem is that we are rather dense and easily distractible so unfortunately there are many times we miss our God given cues. “Make our path clear, Lord. Paint a Big Black Arrow on the ground and we’ll follow it.”

I started doing this request for BBA early on in my marriage when the potential for job change seemed to be a constant friend in my terrified mind during the sleepless-filled wee hours of the morning. My husband David is a British citizen. Born in Scotland, raised primarily in England he is a certified traveling fool. By twenty-five he had already worked in the oil fields of Abu Dhabi (I know, where the heck is that???) for a year, been export manager to Hong Kong, Denmark, Germany and Spain and was currently living in the wild frontiers of central suburban New Jersey with his new young wife (picture me smiling and waving my hand at you). Even as a teen he’d been to Spain and Greece on school trips. Annoying capable with foreign languages he was comfortable with German and French for conversations and could be polite in Chinese, Arabic, Hindu, Farsi, and probably a few others I can’t even spell.

On the flip side I was born and raised in New Jersey. I suffered through high school Spanish and despite being an excellent student struggled with it so profoundly that I decided it would be easier to eliminate any colleges that would require more than two years of foreign language for acceptance than take a third year. Now, don’t get me wrong. I had widened my view of the world horizons substantially by the time David and I wed at thirty. I’d done student teaching in England for four months, had traveled to Spain, Gibraltar, Morocco, Portugal, Scotland, Wales, Germany, Denmark and Holland. But home was, well, New Jersey, you know?

(If you’re wondering how a traveling fool and a 4th grade New Jersey teacher met it wasn’t when I was student teaching. I was happily in Hillsborough, New Jersey teaching immigration. I had a rather eclectic cultural class that year and invited the kids to invite a family member or friend to come in and talk about their immigration experience. One girl, Tara, came in and said an immigrant worked for her dad and he said he’d come in and talk. Then she leaned over and whispered sotto voice to me in the coat closet, “He’s twenty-nine and he’s single.” The rest is history!)

But I digress. David would regularly come home and say, “How about moving to California?” “… Texas?” “… Mexico?” “…China?” “…Ohio?” It was in those early years I learned to pray (rather than laying in bed at 4 a.m. panicking, I decided to be productive with my time and at least pray!). And it was in my prayers that BBA were born.

I’m sure I initially prayed selfishly that we stayed in New Jersey – close to home and friends and church and mom and dad. But at some point I had a thought. Have you ever heard that saying, “Be careful what you wish for, you might get it”? What if God, in His infinite love and tolerance answered my prayers and let me stay in New Jersey? Would David miss out on career opportunities that he might really enjoy? Should I really interfere with the path that the Lord wanted us to travel? Did I really believe that the Lord had my best interests at heart? Whom did I think had a better life picture – God or me? Hmmm, I had to come to terms with the fact that praying for specifics wasn’t always the correct way to pray.

Isn’t it the greatest possible disaster, when you are wrestling with God not to be beaten?
Simone Weil

So I made tentative progressive faith steps and began to pray for “The Lord’s Will.” Having heard my mother and father and Sunday School teachers, etc. use this phrase forever I really had to finally make myself face what it implied. God needed to be in charge, not me. Jesus prayed those words, “not My will, but Yours be done” (Luke 22:42b) in the Garden of Gethsemane regarding his impending crucifixion. My mind couldn’t even wrap itself around a viable comparison between Jesus’ agony and my concerns! My reality was that I wanted to be God’s own, wanted to make Him smile, and absolutely wanted the life that He had planned out for me.

So I better sit down, stop whining, and get with the program.

I started to hear myself tell friends and family, “If the Lord wants us to move, I have to believe that He’s got great plans for us. Look how wonderful he’s been to us so far? He’s not going to give us any less, is He?” And I believed it with all my heart. Yeah, I was still nervous. Yeah, I was still occasionally sleepless. But suddenly I seemed to have a little tiny spark of excitement inside me. I couldn’t begin to imagine what the Lord had in store for us but I knew one thing for sure: it would be perfect for us.

David and I came up with a good phrase for this spark of excitement: we called it Breathless Anticipation. Suddenly, instead of dreading what was on the horizon, I was standing on my tiptoes to see if I could get a glimpse. What was He sending our way next? Can you see?!

David’s changed jobs many times over the twenty years we’ve been together. And, stunningly, we’re still in New Jersey, too. He’s still a traveling fool (Brazil, Texas, Maryland, Washington DC, Nevada, California … the Mauritania Islands). When faced with new job opportunities or other big life changes we have a ritual now. We sit down with a piece of paper and a pen and make three columns: "Have To Have," "Would Like To Have," and "Wish List." The “Have to Have” column has things like salary levels, and travel amount limits. I find that things migrate across the lists as the years progress. “Job Security” is now on the “Would Like To Have” list instead of the “Have To Have.” That happened after I argued rather strenuously that being an independent contractor was far too “tentative” and I wanted a solid job that had “health care, a steady paycheck once a month, and a 401K plan.” To which David pointed out that the last time he’d had one of those jobs was the only time he’d ended up on the unemployment line and I’d had to go back to work. That shut me up fast. When he added, “I’m excited about this opportunity. I think I’ll make a difference in the world through this job. I feel strongly that the Lord is guiding me to do this.” I knew I needed to take another faith step forward. So I sat down, stopped whining, and got with the program. (Again.)

We always put the list in the family Bible. Then David and I commit to pray for what we’ve written. Kind of like a double-barrel prayer! I can still remember like yesterday the very first time we did this. David went off to the business meeting cum dinner cum negotiation session. He called me from the payphone (it was before everyone had cell phones) outside of the men’s room. “Everything in the 'have-to-have column'!” he whispered excitedly into the phone. (I’ll point out we’ve never gotten anything in the “Wish List” column, but that’s okay!)

Tell me clearly what to do, and show me which way to turn.
The BBA Bible Verse

Psalm 5:8b (NLT)

BBA are really hard to miss. When David became unemployed that was a BBA that he shouldn’t continue in that company. When a job offer didn’t happen that was a BBA that the position wasn’t going to be the best opportunity. When he was offered everything that we’d prayerfully listed in the “Must Have” column, that’s a BBA to say yes. Being rejected by an agent I’m hoping would represent me is a BBA that I need to look elsewhere. Any coincidence is a BBA for me as I don’t believe in coincidences or luck. Missing a plane is a BBA that you need to take another flight. So is missing a meeting, a phone call, a visitor … You get the drift?

I completely with the BBA program now. But stepping out on faith does that to you. Slowly, gradually, the more you step out the firmer you discover your foundation is and suddenly you'r e dancing! I feel amazingly powerful with my prayers and as a result try to be very careful with them. I pray for the Lord’s Will regarding everything and anything because I never want my will to misplace His. I trust implicitly that both the good and the bad that happen over the course of my day all belongs in the Lord’s Plan For My Life. As a result my attitude is brighter and I feel more in tune with God’s agenda. Flat tire? (Hmmm, look around and think – what are you telling me God? What do I need to do or notice?)

I had a friend accuse me one time of looking at the world through rose-colored glasses. It was not a compliment. I struggled with a response because in some ways I understood where he was coming from. I decided that my glasses aren’t rose colored – they’re God colored. I try to listen with God’s ears and feel with God’s heart and think with God’s mind, too, while I’m at it.

I want to make God smile. I want to be a woman after His own heart. I want to follow all of His Big Black Arrows. I want always to be able to look at my future with breathless anticipation.

“… for the Lord has sought out a man after His own heart.”
I Samuel 13:14

I would pray for that for you, too. “I pray that from His glorious, unlimited resources He will empower you with inner strength through His Spirit. Then Christ will make His home in your hearts as you trust in Him. Your roots will grow down into God’s love and keep you strong. And may you have the power to understand, as all God’s people should, how wide, how long, how high, and how deep His love is. May you experience the love of Christ, though it is too great to understand fully. Then you will be made complete with all the fullness of life and power that comes from God.” (Ephesians 3:16-19 NLT)

Wonderful Thoughts Of Others: from The Landisfarne, via The Anglican Digest

We are not citizens of this world trying to make our way to heaven; we are citizens of heaven trying to make our way through this world.



That radical Christian insight can be life-changing.



We are not to live so as to earn God's love, inherit heaven, and purchase our salvation. All those are given to us as gifts; gifts brought by Jesus on the cross and handed over to us.



We are to live as God's redeemed, as heirs of heaven, and as citizens of another land: The Kingdom of God ...



We live as those who are on a journey home; a home we know will have the lights on and the door open and our Father waiting for us when we arrive.



That means in all adversity our worship of God is joyful, our life is hopeful, our future is secure. There is nothing we can lose on earth that can rob us of the treasures God has given us and will give us.

Tamar And The Guy She Picked Up On The Side Of The Road

Believe it or not, the guy she had sex with on the side of the road was the best of the bunch …

A Heart Of Strength

Tamar’s story is one you may not be familiar with. I’ll also make a guess that at some point as you read about it now you’ll crack open your Bible (hopefully not for the first time, but probably …) because you just won’t be able to believe that her story is really in there. To put it bluntly, Tamar had a sucky life. She suffered abuse, betrayal, abandonment, false accusations, and was forced to absolute rock bottom until the men in her life finally clued in and stepped up to the plate of accountability and responsibility. At the mercy of the cultural dictates of the day, she was absolutely and completely defenseless. Called “the woman with a pathetic history” (Lockyer), Tamar truly had more to complain about than most.

Which make the lessons in her story all the more stunning. Unprotected, heathen, and literally unwanted by everyone in her life she rose to the exemplary status of being “more righteous” than the man chosen to carry on the covenantal promise of God. You see, all on her own with no one to teach her, help her or coach her, Tamar got it. Tamar discovered The One True God, believed in Him, embraced Him, and chose to dedicate her life to Him.

In doing the right thing, God honored Tamar and elevated her above all others. For you see, she joined the elite “Ancestress of Christ” club. Even though she was a heathen. Even though no one saw any value in her. Even though at one point her father – in - law thought her worth of being burned to death. God saw her goodness and value. He recognized her strength and exemplary commitment. Tamar’s story drives home the point that even if no one wants you or thinks you worthy, it’s only what God thinks that counts.

And as you read Tamar’s unbelievable story, I’ll caution you about one important thing. I pray you don’t need to go through all she did in order to gain the same critical understanding she came to. God speaks to us with a still small voice, but sometimes, if we don’t listen carefully, He might be forced to use a baseball bat. Come, learn about a woman whose life helped her grow a heart of strength.

Scripture References You Should Check Out: Genesis 38
Question to ask yourself and answer before you read any further: At your most desperate of times, who or what do you turn to?
What her name means: “Tamar” means “a palm tree”. The palm tree was one of the most important trees and evokes feelings of beauty and wealth when used as a female name.
Connections: Tamar led a frighteningly solitary life, facing tragedies, terrors and humiliations completely on her own. Along the way she discovered the companionship of The One True God. Purged by fire she came out the other side worthy of admiration. Strong and committed, she did not allow her trials to break her but instead determined to let them perfect her.
What The Bible Says About True Strength:
· Where it comes from: Exodus 15:1-3
· When we should use it first and foremost: Deuteronomy 6:5
· Why Strength Alone Will Get You Nothing: I Samuel 2:9
· Who Is Eligible To Have It: Psalm 29:11
· What Saps Your Strength: Proverbs 17:22b
· On Human Strength: Jeremiah 17:5

Questions We’ll Never Know The Answers To
Where, when and how did Tamar learn about the One True God?

Did you know? Interesting Biblical Facts About Tamar
Levirate Law: The Israelites of Biblical time honored the custom of the Levirate Law ( from the Latin word levir meaning husband’s brother) or the principle of the Kinsman Redeemer. (Deuteronomy 25:5-10) Simply stated, this custom required that should a man die before his wife conceives a son, the widow must become the wife of one of the dead man’s brothers. (Yes, in some cases this resulted in multiple wives.) The first son of such a union was considered the child of the dead brother, to carry on the dead man’s line and inherit his property.

Israelite Nation: Although it was Abraham who is considered the father of the Jewish nation, it was Jacob, Abraham’s grandson, who fathers the twelve sons that make up the twelve tribes of Israel. God renamed Jacob Israel in Genesis 32:38 because he “fought with God and man and won.” (“Israel” means “God fights”.)

Jacob’s Family: The family of Jacob/Israel consisted of twelve sons (and one daughter) which was the product of Jacob’s marriages to four women (two of them sisters). The sons, in order of their birth, were: Reuben, Simeon, Levi, Judah, Dan, Napthali, Gad, Asher, Issachar, Zebulon, Joseph, and Benjamin. Now, this might surprise you (yes, you are detecting sarcasm), but the family of Jacob was somewhat dysfunctional. Despite the fact that the first son traditionally received the greatest blessing, Reuben lost the honor when he became romantically involved with one of his stepmothers. The next two in line, Simeon and Levi, were condemned by their father for the massacre of an entire town. Consequently, on Jacob’s deathbed, it was Judah who received the greatest blessing and it was through his family line that the ancestry of Christ was to be traced.

The Land of Canaan: Just to clear up any confusion the following terms all apply to the same plot of land: “The Land of Canaan” – which was the term used for the land when it was inhabited by the Canaanite people, “The Land of Israel” or “The Promised Land” – which was the title of the land when it was inhabited by the twelve tribes of Israel, “The Land of Judah and The Land of Israel” – which was when the Jewish nation divided after King Solomon’s death and the tribes of Judah and Benjamin went south (with Simeon’s tribe joining later) and all the rest of the tribes making up Israel were in the north, “Judea” – which was the Greek/Roman name for the land of Judah (“Judea” comes from the adjective “Jewish”), “Palestine” – which was the title of the land given by the Romans after the Jewish revolt of A.D. 135, and “The Holy Land” which is the modern title given to this same area today.

For all you Tamars out there…
Defining moments, crossroads of life, life-altering decisions … however you choose to label them, in retrospect, they are the stand out times of our existence: good and bad. If we are fortunate, then the good ones outweigh the bad. How’s your tally so far? Are you groaning with embarrassment right now, glad no one knows the reality of your world? Do you have any room for improvement?

Don’t let the best you have done so far be the standard for the rest of your life.
Gustavus F. Swift

Just like Eve taught us about achieving perfection, Tamar teaches us about achieving strength: strength of character, strength of faith, and strength of commitment. Physically isolated at the beginning of her Biblical tale, she was, technically, still physically isolated in the end. Tamar would always be that Canaanite girl the Judahs brought into their midst, who married two or three times (Who knew for sure? – roll your eyes), who gave birth to her father-in-law’s heir by playing the whore, and who managed to reclaim a solid if highly tarnished status in well-bred society.

But, the person that Tamar was at the start was exponentially different from the person that Tamar was at the end. She’d achieved a closer level of perfection by accepting and honoring The One True God. She’d exhibited a commendable level of courage under pressure that would put most of us to shame. And she learned the precious skill of being able to discern what was worth fighting for and what was not. Tamar learned what all of us can learn: that the things of most value are eternal.

All that is not eternal is eternally useless.
C. S. Lewis

Who Do You Rely On: When that gut wrenching panic grips your stomach, when worry invades your days and your nights, when your hearts pound with fear and trembling, when you are so filled with dread that you would rather not leave your bed let alone your home, what do you do? Who do you rely on? Perhaps you have a precious friend, or a loving mother, or a caring workmate who will listen to your tale of woe and offer some sincere insight and advice. But do you always do what they suggest? Do you then become filled with doubt as to which words of advice are sounder than the rest? Sometimes do you think that they have no idea what you’re going through; they just don’t understand what it’s like? Well Someone does understand exactly what you’re going through because He knows your heart and your mind. God would surely have known it, for He knows the secrets of every heart. (Psalm 44:21) Rely on the advice of Someone who knows you inside and out, what you’ve been, where you’re going, and how you’re going to get there. Make a conscious choice to learn more about Him, abide by His rules, and listen to His still small voice. Come on; give it a try at least.

Courage/Strength: We cannot do it alone. The courage and strength that is required to survive this life on earth is not something than any one person is capable of. Circumstances and people batter us from all sides until we eventually crumble. “How come this always happens to me?” “I can’t deal with anymore stress and trouble!” “I’ve never been so afraid in all my life!” “What am I going to do?!” “I’m lost.” “I’m frightened.” “I’m alone.” Not only does the Bible promise courage and strength from God, but along with it we receive a peace that cannot be truly comprehended. Don’t worry about anything; instead, pray about everything. Tell God what you need, and thank Him for all He has done. Then you will experience God’s peace, which exceeds anything we can understand. His peace will guard your hearts and minds as you live in Christ Jesus. (Philippians 4:6-7)

Hard Times: Every single person in this world faces hard times. No one is immune. Wealth, power, intelligence, and skill do not protect or prevent trials and tribulations. And you know what else doesn’t guarantee a life that’s a bed of roses? Being a Christian. Take a look at any person in the Bible, talk to any missionary, or consult any minister or faithful Christian person that you know. Being a Godly person doesn’t keep the hard times at bay. What being a Christian does do is give you one extra super-charged power source that the average Jane does not have. Do not diminish God’s capacity to guide, protect, and save. God is not a not a God of disorder, but of peace. (I Corinthians 14:33)

I arise today
Through God’s strength to pilot me,
God’s might to uphold me,
God’s wisdom to guide me,
God’s eye to look before me,
God’s ear to hear me,
God’s word to speak for me,
God’s hand to guard me,
God’s way to lie before me,
God’s shield to protect me,
God’s host to save me…
From Everyone who shall wish me ill,
Afar and anear,
Alone and in multitude.
From, The Deer’s Path, St. Patrick,

The Best Kind of Satisfaction: We spend a major portion of our life trying to gain approval – from our parents, our mate, our superiors, our friends, our colleagues… But the reality is, the only place we should really strive for approval is from God. Does He approve of you? Of your life? Of your choices? Of your goals? Do you make Him smile? We were created, out of His great love, to bring Him pleasure through obedience and companionship. If that is not your focus, you are not on the right track.

The smile of God is the goal of your life.
Rick Warren

Faith: At some point over the course of the horrors that Tamar was experiencing, she found faith in The One True God. Rather than see what she was experiencing in the here and now, Tamar chose to look forward towards what she knew she was heading to. True faith believes in things that have not been seen or experienced. At some point Tamar chose to believe that God would see her through the fire of her life and bring her to something safe and good on the other side. While there may be many defining moments in our life, the single most imperative one is to believe in The One True God. So be truly glad. There is wonderful joy ahead, even though you have to endure many trials for a little while. These trials will show that your faith is genuine. It is being tested as fire tests and purifies gold—though your faith is far more precious than mere gold. So when your faith remains strong through many trials, it will bring you much praise and glory and honor on the day when Jesus Christ is revealed to the whole world. I Peter 1:6-7

Homework… Who Do You Have? Your Lifelines

God should be your first and foremost source of advice and comfort in times of stress, trouble, and sorrow. You know to say that (at least after reading this chapter) even if you don’t readily do it. In addition, God also surrounds you within your life with people that He embraces and speaks to as well. Someone took the time to speak with Tamar, answer her questions, and patiently guide her to the point where she could believe. Besides seeking out God through prayer, Bible study, and church attendance, you should consciously work to surround yourself with people who give you sound advice. Guidance that would cause God to smile and nod His head in agreement. Choices that would make you so strong that you become almost invincible against anything the world has to throw at you.

Who has God provided for you in your life? In your work? Now, don’t panic. It’s quality that’s best, not quantity. One sound person is better than ten damaged ones. Plus, you are much better off recognizing a void in one or more areas of your life and making wise choices to fill them in than grinning like a Cheshire cat oblivious to the sinking ship your happily rowing.

Would God agree with those people you surround yourself with? Pretend it was up to God to choose your top three in each area of your life: personal, worldly, professionally, and spiritual. Who would He pick? Write those names down in your heart. Take time to pray and be thankful for what you’ve got, to pray and ask for guidance to fill in gaps and, most importantly, to pray and ask God to give both yourself and these lifelines wisdom in all that is said, thought, and done.

You are truly blessed if your lists have:
· Your mother and/or father
· Your mate
· The same person listed more than once

This is an excerpt from the chapter “Tamar and The Guy She Picked Up On The Side Of The Road” from Sue's book: Biblical Women And Who They Hooked Up With available in print or electronic media at her http://www.lulu.com/ store: http://www.lulu.com/content/884852 Would you like to receive it as a free ebook? Email your request to Sue at: susanmcgeown@faithinspiredbooks.com and she'll be happy to send you a free copy!

Wonderful Thoughts Of Others: St. Patrick

Excerpt from: The Deer's Path, circa 390-461 A.D.

I arise today
Through the strength of heaven:
Light of sun,
Radiance of moon,
Splendor of fire,
Speed of lightning,
Swiftness of wind,
Depth of sea,
Stability of earth,
Firmness of rock.

I arise today
Through God’s strength to pilot me,
God’s might to uphold me,
God’s wisdom to guide me,
God’s eye to look before me,
God’s ear to hear me,
God’s word to speak for me,
God’s hand to guard me,
God’s way to lie before me,
God’s shield to protect me,
God’s host to save me
From snares of devils
From temptations of vices
From everyone who shall wish me ill,
Afar and anear,
Alone and in multitude.

Christ to shield me today
Against poison, against burning,
Against drowning, against wounding,
So that there may come to me abundance of reward
Christ with me, Christ before me, Christ behind me,
Christ in me, Christ beneath me, Christ above me,
Christ on my right, Christ on my left,
Christ when I lay down, Christ when I sit down, Christ when I arise,
Christ in the heart of every man who thinks of me,
Christ in the mouth of every one who speaks to me,
Christ in every eye that sees me,
Christ in every ear that hears me.

I arise today
Through a mighty strength, the invocation of the Trinity
Through belief in the threeness
Through confession of the oneness
Of the Creator of creation

Wonderful Thoughts of Others: Rev. Barbara Brown Taylor

Besides being an author of words, I'm a collector of words. I have a huge book (handwritten because things tend to sink in better that way for me), which is a collection of profound thoughts, Bible verses, lyrics and poetry … anything that when I read it makes my soul sigh in delight or my heart jump with enthusiasm. I've had fun posting some of the shorter thoughts on places like Facebook (http://www.new.facebook.com/profile.php?id=1140819384&ref=profile) and Twitter (http://twitter.com/faithinspired) but some that I treasure are just too long.

So this is the profound thoughts of Reverend Barbara Brown Taylor. Her website is listed below. Enjoy!!

God does not care … whether I am happy or not. What God cares about, with all the power of God’s holy being, is the quality of my life … not just the continuation of my breath and the health of my cells – but the quality of my life, the scope of my life, the heft and zest of my life … fear of death always turns into fear of life, into a stingy, cautious way of living that is not really living at all … to follow Jesus means going beyond the limits of my own comfort and safety. It means receiving our lives as gifts instead of guarding them as … possessions.

http://www.barbarabrowntaylor.com/

PLEASE NOTE: I do not want to offend anyone whom I quote. I do this with the utmost respect and honor and claim absolutely no credit. All I have done is read, handwrite and now retype their wonderful thoughts for you to benefit from. The quoted ideas expressed in this blog are not, in all cases, exact quotations but rather obtained from secondary sources, primarily print media. In every case, the author has made every effort to maintain the speaker’s original intent. While every effort was made to ensure the accuracy of these sources, the accuracy cannot be guaranteed. For additions, deletions, corrections, or clarifications please contact Susan McGeown at susanmcgeown@faithinspiredbooks.com

Sarah and The Guy She Was With For One Hundred Years

She got a little bit tired of waiting after seventy years …

A Heart Of Patience

Sarah. The Hebrew matriarch. Or, the woman who had a baby when she was ninety years old. But what has always stood out for me was that Sarah gave her husband to another woman for want of a child. Her inability to conceive was the key factor in defining everything she was about.

Through Sarah and Abraham’s choices we have both the Israelite and the Islamic nations. Herbert Lockyer points quite an accusatory finger, “Sarah sacrificed herself on the cruelest altar on which any woman ever laid herself down; but the cords of the sacrifice were all the time the cords of a suicidal pride; till the sacrifice was both a great sin in the sight of God, a fatal injury to herself, to her husband, and to innocent generations yet unborn.” (Women of the Bible) Whoa. I guess she and Eve have a lot of common ground to discuss, huh?

But there is so much more to Sarah’s story than just a prideful, barren woman who wasn’t patient enough to wait out God’s perfect plan for her! She was an ancestress of Christ. She is one of only two women lauded for her faith in the “Great Examples of Faith” chapter in the book of Hebrews which says, “It was by faith that even Sarah was able to have a child, though she was barren and was too old. She believed that God would keep his promise.” (11:11) It was Sarah’s descendants that would carry the line of Christ’s ancestry. She was a woman that was chosen by God to be the one whom He would give His covenant to, so special that God distinguishes her by giving her a new name. Throughout the entire known world it was Sarah and her husband, Abraham, who were chosen not by chance but because they had all the necessary qualities that God required.

Exquisitely beautiful, passionately loved, strong, intelligent, and independent, there is much about Sarah’s story that we can learn from and apply to our lives today. Take some time with me and learn a little bit about pride and maturing in faith. Oh, and of course, patience. All of us can use a bit more of that … can’t we?

Scripture References You Should Check Out: Abram and Sarai’s story begins in Genesis 12. Sarah’s death is recorded in Genesis 23.

Question to ask yourself and answer before you read any further: What was the single most stressful/upsetting time of your life and was God pleased or displeased with your behavior during that time?

What her name means: Sarai is one of just a few people who are specifically renamed by God. (Genesis 17:15) Names given by God are called “sacramental names” for they are a sign and seal of an established covenant (promise) between God and that person. “Sarai” means “princess” while “Sarah” (the name given to her by God) means “Chieftainness” or “Princess”. With this name change came the covenant, “I will bless her and give you a son from her! Yes, I will bless her richly, and she will become the mother of many nations, Kings will be among her descendants!” (Genesis 15:16)

Connections: Patience is something that all of us can improve on exponentially. Patience, in my way of thinking, is the difference between our personal time clock and God’s. Our inability to understand, trust, and simply wait until God’s perfectly planned moment is a human fault that pulls each and every one of down numerous times over the course of our lives. Maybe the phrase “needing more patience” should be better said as “needing more godly focused patience”?

What The Bible Says About True Patience:
· What it’s better than: Ecclesiastes 7:8
· How to increase it: Romans 15:4-6
· Where it comes from: Galatians 5:22
· How we prove ourselves: 2 Corinthians 6:6
· How I illustrate Christ’s patience: I Timothy 1:15-17
· What profession teaches it: James 5:7
· Why we should be so thankful for Gods: 2 Peter 3:15

For all of you Sarah’s out there …

Abraham and Sarah’s story is a lesson in patience, faith, loyalty, and obedience. I don’t know about you but I am always so thankful that not one of these patriarchs and matriarchs was perfect. Where would that leave us? It’s always reassuring to me as I read the biblical accounts to think, “Oh whoa, that’s a mistake even I don’t think even I’d make.” And yet these are the people that God chose. Not because of their perfection but because they had potential. These imperfect people had specific qualities that we ourselves can have as well. When you read their stories and take the time to really study them, you can glean from it the lessons that you can apply to your own life.

God does not give us hopes and desires that He does not intend to fulfill.
My Mom

God called Abraham righteous simply because he believed. Sarah is given a child because of her faith. Like our own precious children that cause us such heartache and worry, God loves us unconditionally despite the fact that we repeatedly must drive Him nuts. Here’s what you should take away from Sarah’s story and who she hooked up with:

• God’s calendar and clock run differently than ours. Ecclesiastes 3:1 says, There's an opportune time to do things, a right time for everything on the earth. (MSG) Because we do not know everything we cannot assume to know what’s best for ourselves or anyone else. Practicing Godly patience requires trusting that God is in control and knows the best timeline for everything and everyone. I often hear people say, “I prayed about it and God did nothing!” We forget that God says, “Yes” as well as “No.” We must remember that while we only know infinitesimally, God knows infinitely.
  
  
• God is the perfect parent. God has all the qualities of the perfect mother and father. He gives instructions - some gently whispered and some loudly shouted - and then lets you make mistakes as well as wise choices, realizing that that is the way we must learn and grow. How often I have wanted to gather your children together as a hen protects her chicks beneath her wings, but you wouldn’t let me. (Matthew 23:37b) Through it all He waits patiently and loves unconditionally, grieving with us when we weep and rejoicing with us when we smile. His advice is always reliable, His promises are always kept, His reasons are always sound, and His presence is always guaranteed. Now, if we would just listen and obey …
  

Prayer does not fit us for the greater works; prayer is the greater work.
Oswald Chambers

• When in doubt, pray. Never plan without God in the equation. Your best laid plans are not always God’s best laid plans. You should do nothing – nothing – without first going to the Lord in prayer. The value and power of prayer is not appreciated nor utilized enough by any one of us over the course of our day or life.
  


• God does laugh. Yes, He is the stern, immovable God that draws boundaries around what is right and what is wrong and expects us to behave according to His commands. That’s what a loving individual does: teaches and reproves. But a loving individual also laughs and delights when a job is well done and when success has been achieved. Work to be friends with God, not just distant acquaintances. “Friendship means identity in thought and heart and spirit.” (Oswald Chambers) Practice at making Him the first one you ‘call’ with good and bad news, the first one you seek for advice and counsel and the only one you rely in everything you say and do.



• No Matter How Good You Are, Your Spirituality Is What Defines You. Abram and Sarai were probably the best the world had to offer, but even with that distinction their hearts were not centered on The One True God. Over their entire lives God worked with them patiently and lovingly to help them grow and improve so they were better prepared for what was next on their path of life. Where are you on the spiritual maturity scale? Are you an infant, teen, young adult or mature warrior? Chronological age helps in the progress of these states but doesn’t guarantee anything. Stepping out on faith never makes sense to our human way of thinking. That’s why it’s called faith.

Faith is not intelligent understanding. Faith is deliberate commitment to a Person where I see no way.
Oswald Chambers

• Learn and grow from your mistakes as well as your success. While it is critical that you continue to succeed, it is equally as critical that you don’t need to make the same mistake more than once to learn your lesson. We don’t want God rolling His eyes and saying, “Not again. How many times do I have to explain this to you? How many times do you need to be corrected?” My father used to say, “I buy you books and buy you books but what do you do? Look at the pictures.” Make a conscious choice that you are going to improve yourself in a manner pleasing and acceptable to God. Let the difficult times as well as the good times draw you ever closer to God.

This is an excerpt from the chapter “Sarah And The Guy She Was With For One Hundred Years” from Sue's book: Biblical Women And Who They Hooked Up With available in print or electronic media at her http://www.lulu.com/ store: http://www.lulu.com/content/884852

Eve And The Only Guy On The Planet

If she couldn’t get it right, what hope is there for the rest of us?

A Heart of Perfection
You know Eve. The girl with the apple. The one Adam pointed to when God said, “Hey! Whose idea was it to eat the forbidden fruit?!” The person who consistently bears the brunt of the blame for the whole Garden of Eden debacle. Most famously remembered as the woman who caved when Satan decided to tempt, Eve’s punishment has affected womanhood to this day: to forever bear children with intense pain and suffering and perpetually submit to man as their master.

On account of [Eve] even the Son of God had to die.
Tertullian

Salimbene, a 13th century Franciscan monk compiled a collection of popular views of his day on women. Eve was definitely not thought of positively: “Woman was evil from the beginnings, a gate of death, a disciple of the servant, the devil’s accomplice, a fount of deception, a dogstart to godly labours, rust corrupting the saints; whose perilous face hath overgrown such as had already become almost angels. Lo, woman is the head of sin, a weapon of the devil, expulsion from Paradise, mother of guilt, corruption of the ancient law.” Whoa. How’s that for a thorough insult?

Personally, I think Eve got a bum rap. Now, don’t get me wrong. I’m not here to offer excuses or place blame in another location. I simply wish that the whole person that Eve was, wasn’t defined by her famous moment of succumbing to temptation. (Look at it this way: How would you like to be remembered for your greatest personal disaster?)

The bottom line is that Eve was an ancestress of Christ. You and I can’t claim that. Nor can a lot of other women. She was unique, special, and chosen. At the time when God was recounting the consequences of both Eve and Adam’s poor choice, He also gave her a promise of redemption. She was the first person to be given the promise of the savior. It was her seed that was going to crush the head of the serpent, Satan. (Genesis 3:15)

Spend some time with me examining Eve, the person she was, and the guy she hooked up with. Take a peek into what it means to perfect. Maybe, if we try, we’ll learn something new about her and ourselves in the process. After all, haven’t you always wanted to achieve perfection?

Scripture References To Should Check Out: Genesis 1:26-31, Genesis 2-5

Question to ask yourself and answer before you read any further: What one thing would you like to change in your life that would ensure better circumstances for yourself?

What her name means: God given: “Adam” means “mankind” or “taken out of the earth” or “human being”
Adam given (while in The Garden): “Woman” means “man-ess” or “taken out of man”
Adam given (once they are thrown out of The Garden):“Eve” means “The Mother of All Who Have Life” or “Life-giving”

Connections: Even though Eve was perfect, lived in paradise, and was hooked up with a heaven-made match she had self doubts about herself. Her lack of self-confidence in herself and her God-given abilities left her open for Satan’s treachery causing disaster and misery for all.

What the Bible says about being Perfect:

• Regarding God and His Promises: Psalm 18:29-31


• Regarding Perfection: Psalm 119:96


• On Waiting For Perfection: Ecclesiastes 11:4


• On Our Own Personal Level of Perfection and What We Should Strive For: Matthew 5:47-48


• On Why We Cannot Judge What Is Perfect: 1 Corinthians 13:11-12


• Advice On How To Achieve It: Philippians 3:12-13


• Perfection On Earth: Hebrews 9:13-15


• What It’s All About: James 1:16-18
  

For all you Eves out there …
What lessons can you learn and apply to your life from the account of Eve and whom she hooked up with? First and foremost you must remember what Adam and Eve’s perfection was based on. Nothing external. It was all internal. Their perfection was gone in the blink of an eye the moment they both chose not to allow God and God alone to rule their hearts and minds.

Eve started out hooked up with God, but then fell away from that perfect direction. Blessed with her soul mate, Adam, she was able to get back on track and work towards getting back to the right relationship she needed to have with The One True God. We, as descendants of Adam and Eve, are creatures with the identical capacity for personal thought and childlike understanding. We also have the same God-given ability to choose to head toward perfection … or not.

I like the way the apostle Paul talked about perfection. “I don’t mean to say that I have already achieved these things or that I have already reached perfection. But I press on to possess that perfection for which Christ Jesus first possessed me. No, dear brothers and sisters, I have not achieved it, but I focus on this one thing: Forgetting the past and looking forward to what lies ahead, I press on to reach the end of the race and receive the heavenly prize for which God, through Christ Jesus, is calling us.” (Philippians 3:12-14)
Forgetting the past …
Looking forward to what likes ahead …
Pressing on to reach … the heavenly prize …
Sounds like a plan, doesn’t it?

• Good Choices and Bad: Remember, Eve was wrong for her initial actions but Adam was just as wrong for saying nothing to stop her. Doing nothing is doing something. Not speaking up and voicing The Truth or not correcting a wrong when it is being committed makes you culpable. Culpable as in “deserving of blame or censure as being wrong, evil, improper, or injurious.” (Free Online Dictionary)

• Exemption: Being superior in appearance, position, or ability does not excuse our guilt. Just as God created the serpent to be cleverer than any of the other creatures that He had made, He also sentenced that same creature to eat dirt and die. Never, ever should any of us become complacent in our place within God’s plan. We are necessary for what we can do for His greater glory and design and nothing more. As soon as we step out towards our own agenda we are spectacularly and frighteningly alone and undefended.

• Focus: Being perfect does not guarantee that you won’t make any mistakes. In fact, it might actually blind you into a false sense of complacency so that when disaster sneaks up on you, you don’t even recognize it until after it’s way too late. Psalm 57:1-3 gives a good standard for how you should approach every step of your life:

• Recognize You Can’t Do It On Your Own:

Have mercy on me, O God, have mercy! I look to you for protection.
Know Where To Go In Times Of Trouble:
I will hide beneath the shadow of your wings until the danger passes by.
Know Who To Ask For Advice:
I cry out to God Most High, to God who will fulfill his purpose for me.
Recognize Where True Power Lies:
He will send help from heaven to rescue me, disgracing those who hound me.
Understand The Reasons Behind It All:
My God will send forth his unfailing love and faithfulness.

• Believe: The person that you are is exactly the person God needs you to be. You must believe that for what God needs you to do right this very minute: You. Are. Just. Perfect. Any flaw you perceive in yourself is only an excuse to not follow through with what God wants you to do. Rick Warren in his book A Purpose Driven Life says, “God never does anything accidentally, and He never makes mistakes.” Stop focusing on what you’re missing and concentrate on all you’ve got to offer.

• Forgive: Don’t. Keep. Score. Dwelling on past mistakes prevents you from forging ahead positively into the future. You must learn to let go of past failures of your own doing as well as your mate’s. God has forgotten your disasters as soon as you ask His forgiveness. Why can’t you? King David, an abject failure as a husband and father but also known as “the man after God’s own heart” sang about forgiveness in Psalm 32 (vs. 1-3 MSG): Count yourself lucky, how happy you must be - you get a fresh start, your slate's wiped clean. Count yourself lucky - God holds nothing against you and you're holding nothing back from Him.

• Trust: Just as Adam and Eve were provided with the perfect mate, you too have one out there somewhere in the world. And no, before you ask, I don’t believe you can find him or her on your own. That’s where faith comes in: believing in something that you can’t see or touch. Commit to pray for this person, commit to wait for this person, commit to believe that this person is doing the same for you, and commit to not settling for anything less than the very best. Trust me, it will be worth the wait in the end.
  

Be the change you want to see in the world.
Mahatma Gandhi

• Commit: Be determined to find the perfect heavenly-fashioned companion for yourself or create that sort of relationship with the person you are already with. He or she may not be as easily acquired as Adam found Eve and yet you have every reason to believe that God’s plan and desire for you is nothing less than “a perfect match”. Remember what Adam and Eve had in common that promoted their success: a like-minded spiritual focus, a similar passion for the environment in which they chose to live, an joint attitude of commitment, love and forgiveness, and a relationship rooted in innocence and purity.

• Remain Vigilant: Even the most perfect relationships must be nurtured and prized. Kind words never go out of fashion, loving expressions are always appreciated, and thoughtful signs of appreciation are never wasted. Even if your mate is not yet suitable for the “perfect” category, what areas are pretty close? Have you shared that with him or her lately? Temptation to become complacent is a danger we cannot afford. Temptation in and of itself is not wrong. Giving into temptation is where the problems start.

True freedom comes from obedience and knowing what not to do.
NLT

• Stay Faithful: Oswald Chambers says that, “Faith is the heroic effort of your life.” It’s pretty darn easy to be pleased with God when things are going well in your life and just as easy to blame God when things go down the tubes. You cannot be casual about your faith walk on the day to day existence of your life only to become intensely spiritual when things start to get rocky. Your relationship with God is either a committed, loving relationship or it is a casual acquaintance. You and only you must set the standards.

• Love: Remember that the dominating emotion that was the force behind the creation of this world was: love. Operating within that emotion towards yourself first and foremost and then towards all others redefines the world you live in.

How well do you know yourself? If you are unsure of what you want out of your life then you are on shaky ground trying to hook up with someone. You need to be The Expert regarding yourself spiritually, emotionally, socially, and physically. You need to think about who will compliment you best. What about your mate or the mate of your dreams? Do you know what you need? What you should be looking for? What qualities would ensure your success as a couple? Prayerfully and seriously consider these things. Don’t just reach into the dating basket, randomly choose someone and settle. Your choice of a mate should be based on what God has given you and what He would choose to be the best mate for you.


This is an excerpt from the chapter “Eve and The Only Guy On The Planet” from Sue's book: Biblical Women And Who They Hooked Up With available in print or electronic media at her http://www.lulu.com/ store: http://www.lulu.com/content/884852

You, Your Heart, and Your Life

The World vs. The Promise

The way of this world draws us in the opposite direction from God’s own heart.

The love of God pays no attention to the distinctions made by natural individuality.
Oswald ChambersIn fact, despite the apparent value of our heart, we seem to spend a significant part of our life trying to mask, ignore, or downright disobey it, don’t we? We are repeatedly embarrassed by personal qualities that make us unique from others. “I wish I wasn’t so outspoken …” We regularly don’t value our own worth and let others redefine it to their standards. “I thought it was a good idea, but everyone else …” We allow ourselves to become involved in situations that do not afford us the respect we deserve. “I knew it was a mistake when he invited me back to his apartment, but …” We doubt ourselves and what we know to be right. “I know it wasn’t the best thing to do, but …”

We ignore our heart and in doing so we distance ourselves from God.

We ignore our heart and in doing so we accumulate mistakes, failures, and missed opportunities that keep us from forging positively ahead into the future.

We ignore our heart and in doing so we loose sight of the person God wants us to be.

We ignore our heart and miss joyful experiences that we are meant to have.

We ignore our heart and in doing so do not fulfill the job that only we are capable of doing.

We ignore our heart and end up in a place that is sad, dark, lonely, and hopeless.

Our job here on this earth is to continually ‘shore up’ our heart: get it right, make it strong, start anew, and become improved … GROW. The Bible addresses that, too. “Becoming a new person” affords those of us with a past as bleak as a burned out forest the opportunity to get away from the smoke and ash. 2 Corinthians 5:17 states clearly, “Anyone who belongs to Christ has become a new person. The old life is gone; a new life has begun!”

God wants you beyond your resources so you have to depend on Him and His resources.
Rev. Dr. Todd Buurstra

We human beings just don’t appreciate the magnitude of this promise. We repeatedly don’t believe it nor do we take advantage of it. “My whole life is and always will be a disaster.” “I’ve got things in my past that are too big to forget.” “I’ve got bad luck.” “I don’t believe in fairy tales.” “I’ve got issues.” The first step to a changed heart is to step out on faith and believe. Eliminate “but” from your vocabulary. Give God the opportunity to show you what your life can be like.

Rationalize this for me: if God is willing to forgive and forget everything bad about you and your past, why can’t you? Usually it’s because forgiving and forgetting involves making conscious decisions to change for the better. It means becoming proactive towards your future and taking the necessary steps to ensure your success. What you must come to understand at some point along the way is that your refusal to let go of past disasters, the continuation over and over again to make the same mistakes, and your failure to accept the responsibility for your life becomes your very own … tombstone. (Sorry, but someone’s got to tell you.) Aside from prayer, reading, studying and applying the Word of God is the single most influential way towards becoming a person after “God’s own heart”.

The Bible and You

Besides the date, the Bible is chock full of the most private personal details of people who were just like us except for the lack of electricity and indoor plumbing. They’ve gone through it all and left behind a rather amazing account of how often and how gloriously they blew it. As well as, every now and then, how they got it right. All of their most private and personal mistakes, failures, sorrows, and bad deeds are spelled out for us in glorious back and white text to read, chuckle over, pompously shake our heads in disbelief, and … hopefully … learn from. Rick Warren said, “While it is wise to learn from experience, it is even wiser to learn from the experience of others.” Here’s a question for you: “How wise are you?”

Reading the Bible is like looking into your sister’s journal. It gives you the opportunity to live vicariously through another person’s life that is perhaps more exciting or appealing than our own. It allows us to see, up close and personal, what secrets some people have deep inside that they would never ever share with anyone. It permits us to see just how bad and just how good things can really be. It teaches us what should be important in our God given life and what should be ignored.

What lies behind us and what lies before us are tiny matters compared to what lies within us.
Ralph Waldo Emerson

For you see, the men and women of the Bible experienced all the same things we do today: stupidity, lust, jealousy, hatred, fear, loneliness, worthlessness, sorrow and true love. They also battled with the same internal and external pressures that we struggle with today: money troubles, poor self confidence, illness, doubt, bad people who wanted to do mean things to them … There is not one situation that we face today that someone hasn’t had to deal with already in the biblical journal account. Why not take the opportunity and learn from someone else’s mistakes as well as successes?

Which brings us full circle to my initial points. All relationships you have in your life – good or bad – are a direct window into you and your heart. What do you think about that comment?

The collection of people that surround you shout loud and clear the condition of your heart. People are often quick to give excuses as to why that statement isn’t accurate. But let’s face it; the people that you are attracted to (romantically and just as friends) are specifically linked to your very own individual make-up. Some people appeal, some do not, and what you are internally is what is the deciding factor.

How about this quote from the website Despair.com: “The only consistent feature of all your dissatisfying relationships is you.” How terrifying is that quote? The first time I read it, it struck me as quite funny. But then, after its brutal frankness began to sink in with me, I took a big gulp and rather hesitantly began to reflect back on my rather dismal personal track record of personal relationships over the years.

May this journey bring a blessing,
May I rise on wings of faith;
And at the end of my heart's testing,
With Your likeness let me wake.
Margaret Becker

What do people see when they look into your personality window? What do you say to others about yourself in the way you live your life? These are hard questions that whether you choose to face them or not, in then end will be the reality of what people think of you. You can ignore these questions but the impact of the answers will not go away.

The purpose of Biblical Women And Who They Hooked Up With is to give you the opportunity to peek into some very personal diary entries and read about all the disasters that would never be spoken about and maybe learning something in the process. Give your heart a thorough examination and …

• Apply some of the lessons.



• Do a little thoughtful introspection.



• Examine the quality of your heart.



• Realign your priorities.



• Fix what’s broken.



• Strengthen what’s weak.



• Find what’s lost.



• Make God smile a bit.

Come on, what have you got to loose? Or, better yet, what have you got to gain?

This is an excerpt from Sue's book: Biblical Women And Who They Hooked Up With available at her http://www.lulu.com/ store: http://www.lulu.com/content/884852

On Being A Unique Woman

I am a writer of women's fiction and nonfiction with an inspirational theme: realistic, believable stories that acknowledge the existence of worldly temptations and despairs, while at the same time using Biblical truths as solutions and encouragement for success. My stories tell of life like it is, offer hope that things can be better; and admonish while they inspire.

People often ask me where I get my ideas. The easy answer is that God gives them to me, of course. But the more complicated answer involves explaining how my life is like a giant fishing net that is perpetually gathering material: from life experiences, friends and acquaintances, and Bible study. Some combination, huh? I have a tee shirt that says, BE CAREFUL OR YOU MAY END UP IN MY NEXT NOVEL. How true!

I write realistic fiction, not fantasy.
With God everything is possible.
Matthew 19:26b

I love to write stories that involve magnificent transformations, incredible victories, and assurance of happy endings – not because I’m a big fan of fantasies but because I sincerely believe that all things are possible in a life committed to God. Why not have such expectations? My stories are about real life and real situations and how real people react to the complexities of life. I add in faith, sometimes subtly and sometimes in your face, because that’s real life, too. Then, I weave a story around the concept of the choices we all make – good and bad – and how things inevitably work out in the end. Sometimes it’s a Recipe for Disaster and sometimes it indicates A Well Behaved Woman’s Life.

My life has taught me that being a woman after God’s own heart involves endless trust, perpetual prayer, and faith walks that no woman without God’s love and protection would ever dare to go. A heart committed to God becomes rather fearless in my humble opinion. No, I haven’t faced down an angry mob of four hundred armed men with a picnic basket like Abigail did (I Samuel 25:18), but I have argued my beliefs in the face of tremendous skepticism and derision – and that was scary!! I write what I do because I am a product of God’s grace and mercy … and His miraculous transformations. For you see, I wasn’t always this opinionated, confident, godly woman – and I still struggle daily to stay on this Rock I choose to make my home.

Without God, I am a shy, introverted, insecure woman who feels that she's never pretty enough, smart enough, clever enough, or strong enough to be much good to anyone. But you know something? I believe with all my heart that God doesn’t make mistakes. That has to mean that I’ve got everything I’m supposed to have in order to succeed according to God’s plan for me. If God’s made me, then I must have the potential to make God smile – how amazing is that?

God doesn’t need us perfect.
He just needs us willing.
Let God transform you into a new person.
Romans 12:2

The Bible is filled with women just like me and you who seemed woefully ill equipped to do what God wanted them to do. Their stories – told sometimes with painfully embarrassing details, are meant to inspire and educate us. Sarah, barren for almost her entire life, was chosen to be the mother of God’s chosen race (Genesis 21:7). Rahab, a lowly prostitute, was selected to be the heroine of the battle of Jericho (Joshua 6:25). Mary, an unwed pregnant teen, was designated to be the mother of our Lord (Luke 1:30). They were chosen not because God forced them into it, but because their hearts were open to the challenge. Throughout the Bible, the consistent theme is that God is never interested in the smartest, or the prettiest, or the wisest, or the richest, or the bravest. Why should we assume that He has changed the rules for us now? God wants those of us with nothing but an open heart so that He can show His power and His might through our miraculous transformations and accomplishments. We can do all things through Christ’s strength in us! Did I hear an ‘Amen’?

With God, I have learned to battle my personal demons. I still quake with fear before I do something public like speak before the church, conduct a training session for my peers, or present my written works to curious strangers. But I do it because I know, without a shadow of a doubt, that once I get up there magic happens with my words and thoughts and I become this coherent, intelligent woman. It is the Lord working His magic through me and my faith and my trust … and it is an amazing experience.

I pray a lot because I’m a big chicken and it makes me feel safer. Hey, if the God of The Universe wants to communicate personally with me and the only avenue open to me is prayer, who am I to decline? I pray in the shower, while I’m doing the dishes, and if you passed me the other day on the highway, I wasn’t talking on my cell phone! The more I pray, the more I see the world through God’s eyes and the more I understand what He needs me to do.

We need to make sure that we’re doing the most we can do for God in the spot we are standing right now.
Work together with the same purpose.
I Corinthians 3:8

My goal each day is to make God smile. No, I haven’t built any wells in remote African villages nor have I donated enough money to build a new hospital wing. While I’m at it I’ll tell you that I hate to cook, am fantastically impatient, and regularly need to examine my priorities because I tend to slip off course … a lot. But I love to teach – both kids and adults - so I do that regularly at my church. I’m organized and committed once I’m on board with something and I serve with a passionate determination to bring success in all I am involved it. I write – a lot. If I don’t write, stories pile up in my head like a backed up drainpipe – which is never a good thing. These are all things that God has given me that others don’t have. I’m not bragging, just stating an obvious fact. (And please note that I haven’t said I’m fantastically good at anyone of these things, I just seem to have some affinity towards them.) As an added plus, these are things that I enjoy doing. God, in His infinite love and generosity, allows me to use my gifts to His glory … and have a good time doing it. How perfect is that?

I ask regularly for Big Black Arrows from God – because I’m kind of dense and preoccupied as I stumble through this life and regularly are inclined to miss the more subtle signs that He sends my way. Just paint a big black arrow on the ground, God, and I promise I’ll follow it willingly wherever it may take me! I must continually remind myself that the Bible says that God works all things to good to those who love Him (Romans 8:28). It took me a while to realize that it doesn’t just say “the nice stuff,” or “the happy times,” or “the rewarding experiences.” It says all things. Let’s look on the bright side: that means that every single one of my personal disasters all have the potential of working towards good. Well, that’s a relief!

Our faith is our identity, our life is our resume, and our message is that we are no one else’s but God’s.
I eagerly expect and hope that I will in no way be ashamed, but will have sufficient courage so that now as always Christ will be exalted in my body, whether by life or by death. For to me, to live is Christ and to die is gain
Philippians 1:20-21

After all these years, I’ve decided I’d like to be just like King David (no, I don’t care to slay any giants, thank you). I am determined to be a woman after God's own heart – David’s female counterpart (I Samuel 13:14). You see David’s outstanding quality was that no matter how many times he failed, he willingly acknowledged his culpability and recommitted himself back into God’s plan as soon as he clued in - even if he was kneeling in the smoking ruins of his life. Hey, I can do that! I’ve got plenty of spectacular failures to work with, that’s for sure. It’s the determination to never give up on God’s purpose for my life that I continually must remind myself about.

Through my successes and my failures I am now determined to be a woman of faith no matter what anyone says or thinks. (Picture me with my hands on my hips, my chin raised in defiance.) I want it to be my defining feature, the glue that holds all my pieces together. No matter what hat I’m wearing: mother, sister, daughter, aunt, teacher, friend, classroom helper, annoyed customer, neighbor, or stranger – I want it to be the first distinctive quality anyone notices. It’s a noble goal but constant work.

I reached a point where I am delighted to be the unique woman I am because God needs me to be just this way so He can accomplish His specific plan for my life. I no longer want to be like anyone else but me. I don’t want anyone else’s life but my own. I’ll deal with my own problems, my own challenges, and my own goals because they’re all necessary to get me where God needs me to be each and every day. My personal space is filled with me and all my issues, thank you very much … I don’t need anyone else’s.

My husband and I have a saying: “Breathless anticipation of things to come.” It’s wrapped up in the belief that if I am God’s own then He is in control of my life and will give me infinite care. No matter how the future appears I can rest assured that the tapestry of my life is going to be one mighty splendid sight when it’s completed. As long as I follow the proper pattern and adhere to all the directions.

Striving to be a woman after God’s own heart puts every aspect of your life into perspective. Your foundation becomes rock solid, your walls of protection become invincible, your lines of communication are assured, and your ceiling is the limitless sky. No one, no thing can hold you back … but yourself.

A Woman After God’s Own Heart:

· Recognizes that her differences enable her to connect with others so that when united an effective, godly machine can be assembled and become functional.

· Acknowledges that her greatest trials, failures and weaknesses are usually the area in which God wants most to work His Magic and, consequently, the areas of our greatest potential for triumph.

· Believes that God wants nothing but the very best for each one of us and that through faith and obedience we really can achieve a happily ever after life of God’s design.

· Earnestly desires an intimate relationship with the God of the Universe and works consistently towards that goal through prayer, devotions, and fellowship with like-minded believers.

· Is always growing, maturing, working, seeking and learning. She’s not finished with her responsibilities here on earth until she’s dead.

· Is you – right now, this very instant, dependent solely on you and your own personal decision for Whom you wish to be in control of your life. When will you make a decision about Joining The Club (the God club, that is)?