posted by Trudy
Hey there you memorizing machines!
Have I mentioned lately I am so thrilled to traverse this path of memorizing the "Scripts" with you. (Hear that last term with all the reverence in the world. There is nothing I fear or love more than the Lord and His Word and knowing God to be One who desires to communicate in relevant ways, I just think He is okay in this age of "texting" and "twitter" that we abbreviate as long as we don’t dishonor Him).
I am not about numbers, but I am about getting as many as possible hooked on God’s Word so if you know anyone who wants to jump in this journey with us for the next 6 months then direct them here!
I also wanted to tell you that if I am just moving way too slow for you with memorizing 2 verses a month by all means you jump back on here and post as much as you want under this heading until I post the "Ms. Team Third Post" on August 8th - then start posting under that one. That is exactly what my buddy Chris did and I so loved her enthusiasm that I wanted ya’ll all to know you are quite welcome to post as many as you want! If 2 verses a month are good for you then that is cool too.
Okay here is mine. It is one that is very familiar to me but after attending a women’s conference this week and studying it under one of my favorite Bible teachers I knew immediately it was going to have to be the next one on my memory list. I don’t have it down perfectly yet but its what I am working on this week
Trudy, Deuteronomy 30:19-20a (NIV)
This day I call the heavens and the earth as witnesses against you that I have set before you life and death, blessings and curses. Now choose life, so that you and your children may live and that you may love the LORD your God, listen to his voice, and hold fast to him. For the LORD is your life...
Your up Ms. Team...what cha been working on? Press "Post a Comment" and share away...
Monday, July 25, 2011
Wednesday, July 13, 2011
Reflections on Ruth: Waiting
I bet many of you have not yet met Tracey McMahan because she is brand new to town. But once you do get to know her you will love her. I have had the pleasure of getting to know both her and her sweet mother, Joanie, through the ladies evening Bible Study. Enjoy the wisdom in one of her reflections on Ruth.....
Driving behind a pokey driver when I’m already late for work.
Standing in line at the grocery store with two whiny, hungry kids.
Counting down the days before a loved one arrives for a long overdue visit.
Who likes to wait? Waiting can be hard! Especially for the big things in life – test results, a family member stationed overseas, a first baby.
This week I thought about how hard waiting can be as I considered the final verses of Ruth chapter 3 (vv. 10-18). For some time Ruth had been working around Boaz, watching the respect he showed to his field hands, experiencing his kindness toward her. Then at the urging of her mother-in-law, she made her affections known to the man who was her kinsman-redeemer. Boaz responded in kind, yet reminded her that one man, a closer relative, might stand in the way of their marriage plans. So he asked Ruth to wait.
Often our Kinsman-Redeemer asks us to wait as well. To wait for that special someone to come along. To wait for a prodigal child to find his way back home. To wait for Him to answer a desire of our heart.
So how can we respond to our seasons of waiting? We can wait with a worry and a frown or patiently without fretting (Ps. 37:7). We can wait hopelessly or expectantly, trusting Him to answer in His perfect time (Ps. 38:15). We can wait with grumbling and complaints or quietly, relying on His faithfulness (Lam. 3:22-26). The decision is ours, because often we have no choice but to wait.
I admit that I have occasionally wasted a particular season of waiting instead of using the opportunity to draw nearer to my own Kinsman-Redeemer. In God’s economy, waiting has a purpose. Perhaps He wants to grow my patience. Perhaps He wants to measure my reliance on Him. Or perhaps, just perhaps He has something to teach me that I wouldn’t learn any other way. Something profound and meaningful and tailor-made just for me. Something I would have missed in my otherwise hurry-up, “happen right now” kind of world.
And so in His strength (and with an occasional reminder to myself), I will be still before the LORD and wait patiently for Him. Easier said than done, right?
But so worth the blessing that often accompanies a season of waiting.
“The LORD longs to be gracious to you; He rises to show you compassion. For the LORD is a God of justice. Blessed are all who wait for Him!” (Isaiah 30:18).
Monday, July 11, 2011
Ms. Team (Memorizing Scripture): First Post
Posted by Trudy
Okay Ms. Team here we go....
We are going to be a smaller team than what we started out with in January but don’t let that discourage you. Some of the group needed to step out because they are leading others in a variety of capacities - some are even leading others in memorizing Scripture so those are all good things.
Since I made this personal commitment for 12 months I am in it until December, Lord willing, and am very grateful to have some fellow sisters to cross this finish line with. Thank you, Thank you Thank you for hanging in there with me. We even have a few new faces joining in for these final six months so that will make it even better.
I want to tell you up front that memorizing God’s Word is not going to please our adversary so expect a fight. He would love for us to have nothing to do with God’s Word, much less memorize it so it can be constantly at work in our hearts and minds. If you started in January and have made it this far, you know what I’m talking about. You have likely fought off all kinds of discouragement, distractions, and the lure to throw in the towel and quit. I respect you so much that you have hung in there. Greater is He that is in you than he that is in the world. Lets link arms and decide that we will fight off the enemy on each others behalf as we encourage each other to keep running this race to the finish line.
Okay here’s some logistics.
This will be our first chance to post what we are memorizing on the blog. This may take a little trial and error but if for some reason the comment button at the end of this post will not let you comment then email me and I’ll see if I can help.
Here’s a recap of what we are doing:
1. You choose any verse you want to memorize and start working on it. (2 per month)
2. You post it here under the comment section on the 2nd & 4th Mondays of each month (for July that will be July 11th and 25th. I will open with a post specifically for the Ms. Team)
3. You continue to review your previous verses as you memorize new ones and at the end of our 6-month run we will get together and celebrate the 12 verses you have memorized. (If you are continuing on from the original team who started in January you will have 24 verses...wow!)
For any readers who didn’t hear about this previously but would like to join us feel free to jump in anytime. You are always welcome here no matter what your starting point is.
Are we ready?
Give us your verse, the reference, the version of the Bible it's from and your name.
Here’s mine:
Trudy
Remember this: Whoever sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and whoever sows generously will also reap generously. 2 Cor. 9:6 NIV
Your up....
Okay Ms. Team here we go....
We are going to be a smaller team than what we started out with in January but don’t let that discourage you. Some of the group needed to step out because they are leading others in a variety of capacities - some are even leading others in memorizing Scripture so those are all good things.
Since I made this personal commitment for 12 months I am in it until December, Lord willing, and am very grateful to have some fellow sisters to cross this finish line with. Thank you, Thank you Thank you for hanging in there with me. We even have a few new faces joining in for these final six months so that will make it even better.
I want to tell you up front that memorizing God’s Word is not going to please our adversary so expect a fight. He would love for us to have nothing to do with God’s Word, much less memorize it so it can be constantly at work in our hearts and minds. If you started in January and have made it this far, you know what I’m talking about. You have likely fought off all kinds of discouragement, distractions, and the lure to throw in the towel and quit. I respect you so much that you have hung in there. Greater is He that is in you than he that is in the world. Lets link arms and decide that we will fight off the enemy on each others behalf as we encourage each other to keep running this race to the finish line.
Okay here’s some logistics.
This will be our first chance to post what we are memorizing on the blog. This may take a little trial and error but if for some reason the comment button at the end of this post will not let you comment then email me and I’ll see if I can help.
Here’s a recap of what we are doing:
1. You choose any verse you want to memorize and start working on it. (2 per month)
2. You post it here under the comment section on the 2nd & 4th Mondays of each month (for July that will be July 11th and 25th. I will open with a post specifically for the Ms. Team)
3. You continue to review your previous verses as you memorize new ones and at the end of our 6-month run we will get together and celebrate the 12 verses you have memorized. (If you are continuing on from the original team who started in January you will have 24 verses...wow!)
For any readers who didn’t hear about this previously but would like to join us feel free to jump in anytime. You are always welcome here no matter what your starting point is.
Are we ready?
Give us your verse, the reference, the version of the Bible it's from and your name.
Here’s mine:
Trudy
Remember this: Whoever sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and whoever sows generously will also reap generously. 2 Cor. 9:6 NIV
Your up....
Saturday, July 9, 2011
Reflections on Ruth : Prince Charming
Posted by Trudy
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In the absence of my own Prince Charming this week, my affections have been lured by another.
Thankfully he’s dead.
Well not really, dead - alive in Christ - and definitely alive in the eternal pages of Scripture - but his handsome body has long returned to dust. At least until Christ speaks the word and it re-composes into an even more glorious body....Oh happy day!
His name is Boaz and you can read about him in the pages of Ruth. But be warned, this man is dreamy and if you are single he will set the standard high, but hey, nothing wrong with high standards my single-lady friends.
Will you be my guinea pig for a minute? Something about the description of Boaz has intrigued me and I wanted to see if it had the same effect on you. First, read what we know of him.
He was a:
mighty man of valor
well-to-do land proprietor
highly respected
kind
generous
strong
protector
provider
fair & just
godly
sensitive
responsible
kinsman redeemer
Ugly or handsome?
If your mind is anything like mine, that list and "ugly" just don’t partner.
But here’s the interesting thing. I couldn’t find anything in my version of Scripture that said Boaz was handsome. The focus was all on his character.
Which underscores this truth: Character is attractive.
It may not always be blonde haired, blue eyed, tall and chiseled, but make no mistake....it's attractive!
Now you want to see an interesting twist?
Guess what Boaz first notices about Ruth?
I don’t have trouble believing she was beautiful. Moabite women were known for their beauty and sensuality and somehow I don’t think her first husband Mahlon (who later passed away) would have traded the heavy expectation that he marry a Jewish girl for just any ole ugly Moabite girl.
But a quick glance at Ruth 2:11 & 3:11 will tell you it was not her physical beauty that first caught Boaz’s eye
...it was her character.
I know, I know, our culture today makes it hard to buy that a man valued character above beauty but read the Word...that’s what is says...
He had heard about all the things she had sacrificed and the hard work she had done on behalf of Naomi and took notice. And not just Boaz, he later told her "All my fellow townsmen know that you are a woman of noble character." Her reputation had preceded her and it peaked his interest.
Its almost as if character begets character,
or maybe its just that it takes a person of character to notice and value character in another person.
Or maybe, the principal that you reap what you sow is in play here (2 Cor.9:6)
I find any of those encouraging and it makes me want to focus more on godliness than lipstick. The bottom line is Jesus just makes us prettier than what we really are and the glow he gives is just better than any night cream I’ve tried.
There are so many applications I could draw here, I pray that God speaks one that is just for you, but as a mom of 4 boys, a few of which are beginning to take notice of some pretty little faces I am going to put on my parenting hat and leave this one with you because I see it as a vitally needed thing in the culture we live in today.
Character....godly character to be specific....is wildly attractive and in the end, the internal beauty of godliness is far more valuable than outward beauty which will eventually fade. I am not blind to the attraction of physical beauty and often the two go hand in hand, but when there is a choice set before my boys to choose physical beauty over godliness, oh how I pray they will have been trained to value character more.
But I really think "trained" is a key word here. They don’t need our help identifying physical beauty. They are wired to find that all by themselves. What they desperately need is our help unveiling the beauty of godly character.
So here’s my challenge. Let’s set ourselves to the strategic task of pointing out the beauty of godly character before our children (and other’s) eyes. Instead of being the "Horse Whisperer" we need to be the "Character Whisperers". Our primary task is to first live out godliness, (please don't lose heart here...only through Christ...if you need some encouragement to know God can redeem all things remember that Boaz's mom was Rahab...look up the details and be encouraged)
The secondary task is to teach it to our children and one way we can do that is to highlight it in the lives of others. The Scriptures are full of great models, books on good character abound, but don't miss the gold mine of simply pointing out the many real life examples in the course of any given day.
Like...
"Did you see how that girl volunteered to give up going shopping in order to bake some cookies for some lonely elders today? That’s a girl that has learned to put others before herself, that’s a quality that will give her so much more joy than self-absorption".
"Son, I loved how you stopped and helped that player on the opposite team up after he was unfairly knocked over. That showed good sportsmanship which is far more valuable than looking cool or tough."
"Did you notice how that boy was brave and secure enough with himself to step away from his familiar friends and welcome that new boy who didn’t know anybody? Wouldn’t that have felt great if you were the new kid in need of a friend? I really value that confidence in a person that allows them to be more concerned about how the new kid feels rather than fearing being ridiculed."
We don’t make character beautiful...it is beautiful....we simply have the task to unveil it for those around us and train them to value it.
It does take time and effort.
But in the end if they catch themselves a Ruth or a Boaz, the reward will be great!
Are ya in?
"A wife of noble character who can find? She is worth far more than rubies." Proverbs 31:10
Thankfully he’s dead.
Well not really, dead - alive in Christ - and definitely alive in the eternal pages of Scripture - but his handsome body has long returned to dust. At least until Christ speaks the word and it re-composes into an even more glorious body....Oh happy day!
His name is Boaz and you can read about him in the pages of Ruth. But be warned, this man is dreamy and if you are single he will set the standard high, but hey, nothing wrong with high standards my single-lady friends.
Will you be my guinea pig for a minute? Something about the description of Boaz has intrigued me and I wanted to see if it had the same effect on you. First, read what we know of him.
He was a:
well-to-do land proprietor
highly respected
kind
generous
strong
protector
provider
fair & just
godly
sensitive
responsible
kinsman redeemer
Ugly or handsome?
If your mind is anything like mine, that list and "ugly" just don’t partner.
But here’s the interesting thing. I couldn’t find anything in my version of Scripture that said Boaz was handsome. The focus was all on his character.
Which underscores this truth: Character is attractive.
It may not always be blonde haired, blue eyed, tall and chiseled, but make no mistake....it's attractive!
Now you want to see an interesting twist?
Guess what Boaz first notices about Ruth?
I don’t have trouble believing she was beautiful. Moabite women were known for their beauty and sensuality and somehow I don’t think her first husband Mahlon (who later passed away) would have traded the heavy expectation that he marry a Jewish girl for just any ole ugly Moabite girl.
But a quick glance at Ruth 2:11 & 3:11 will tell you it was not her physical beauty that first caught Boaz’s eye
...it was her character.
I know, I know, our culture today makes it hard to buy that a man valued character above beauty but read the Word...that’s what is says...
He had heard about all the things she had sacrificed and the hard work she had done on behalf of Naomi and took notice. And not just Boaz, he later told her "All my fellow townsmen know that you are a woman of noble character." Her reputation had preceded her and it peaked his interest.
Its almost as if character begets character,
or maybe its just that it takes a person of character to notice and value character in another person.
Or maybe, the principal that you reap what you sow is in play here (2 Cor.9:6)
I find any of those encouraging and it makes me want to focus more on godliness than lipstick. The bottom line is Jesus just makes us prettier than what we really are and the glow he gives is just better than any night cream I’ve tried.
There are so many applications I could draw here, I pray that God speaks one that is just for you, but as a mom of 4 boys, a few of which are beginning to take notice of some pretty little faces I am going to put on my parenting hat and leave this one with you because I see it as a vitally needed thing in the culture we live in today.
Character....godly character to be specific....is wildly attractive and in the end, the internal beauty of godliness is far more valuable than outward beauty which will eventually fade. I am not blind to the attraction of physical beauty and often the two go hand in hand, but when there is a choice set before my boys to choose physical beauty over godliness, oh how I pray they will have been trained to value character more.
But I really think "trained" is a key word here. They don’t need our help identifying physical beauty. They are wired to find that all by themselves. What they desperately need is our help unveiling the beauty of godly character.
So here’s my challenge. Let’s set ourselves to the strategic task of pointing out the beauty of godly character before our children (and other’s) eyes. Instead of being the "Horse Whisperer" we need to be the "Character Whisperers". Our primary task is to first live out godliness, (please don't lose heart here...only through Christ...if you need some encouragement to know God can redeem all things remember that Boaz's mom was Rahab...look up the details and be encouraged)
The secondary task is to teach it to our children and one way we can do that is to highlight it in the lives of others. The Scriptures are full of great models, books on good character abound, but don't miss the gold mine of simply pointing out the many real life examples in the course of any given day.
Like...
"Did you see how that girl volunteered to give up going shopping in order to bake some cookies for some lonely elders today? That’s a girl that has learned to put others before herself, that’s a quality that will give her so much more joy than self-absorption".
"Son, I loved how you stopped and helped that player on the opposite team up after he was unfairly knocked over. That showed good sportsmanship which is far more valuable than looking cool or tough."
"Did you notice how that boy was brave and secure enough with himself to step away from his familiar friends and welcome that new boy who didn’t know anybody? Wouldn’t that have felt great if you were the new kid in need of a friend? I really value that confidence in a person that allows them to be more concerned about how the new kid feels rather than fearing being ridiculed."
We don’t make character beautiful...it is beautiful....we simply have the task to unveil it for those around us and train them to value it.
It does take time and effort.
But in the end if they catch themselves a Ruth or a Boaz, the reward will be great!
Are ya in?
"A wife of noble character who can find? She is worth far more than rubies." Proverbs 31:10
Reflections on Ruth
I have had so much fun studying the book of Ruth with the ladies this summer. We have such wisdom in our body. If you ever you feel you need some, ask God, who is willing to give it generously to you without finding fault and maybe even he’ll send ya to one of our Bible Studies where you will surely hear some spilling out of your fellow sisters in Christ.
We have learned so much this summer I thought it’d be fun to post some "Reflections on Ruth." These will come in small segments instead of lumped together in one big unreadable package so tune back in every now and then to find more posts.
These will come from different ladies who have learned a myriad of different things as we have walked through "Ruth" together. In fact, if you haven’t had a chance to read the post just before this one about "hesed" by Connie, that would be a great starting point. (Little did she know she was kicking off a series when you she wrote it) :)
I hope that God will use this to speak to your own heart and encourage you in your journey wherever you are. And if you happen to find yourself in the book of Ruth too, by all means, join the conversation.....we’d love to hear from you!
We have learned so much this summer I thought it’d be fun to post some "Reflections on Ruth." These will come in small segments instead of lumped together in one big unreadable package so tune back in every now and then to find more posts.
These will come from different ladies who have learned a myriad of different things as we have walked through "Ruth" together. In fact, if you haven’t had a chance to read the post just before this one about "hesed" by Connie, that would be a great starting point. (Little did she know she was kicking off a series when you she wrote it) :)
I hope that God will use this to speak to your own heart and encourage you in your journey wherever you are. And if you happen to find yourself in the book of Ruth too, by all means, join the conversation.....we’d love to hear from you!
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