Category Archives: Girlfriends Bible Study

Following God into a Storm??

Posted on by
Reply

Did you know being obedient to God’s leading can take you right into a battle, right into a storm? Here are a few more of my thoughts (hopefully they have not scattered too badly) from the Pursuit of the Promised Land Bible Study by Marie Monville.

836px-De_Windstoot_-_A_ship_in_need_in_a_raging_storm_(Willem_van_de_Velde_II,_1707)

For the Israelites to get into their promised land they needed to fight some battles, they had work to do, lots of hard work. They were following God’s command to Joshua to conquer and live in the land God had promised to Abraham. And also the disciples were told by Jesus to get into their boat and cross to the other side of the lake. And while they were still “far from land, a strong wind had risen and they were fighting heavy waves” Luke 14:22. Jesus knew that storm was going to come but yet He still told them to go to the other side of the lake. And the disciples obediently did as Jesus told them. I wonder what the disciples were thinking when they were in that storm. “Jesus told us to do this and now here we are in the middle of a storm, maybe we’ll drown! Why did Jesus tell us to go with the storm coming? Surely He knew what was coming. What was He thinking?”
The Israelites, like the disciples, were doing what Jesus told them to and what did they encounter? Battles, storms, and hard stuff.  What am I to do with that? I follow God and end up in a storm? a battle? One thing I think God wants us to realize is that difficult circumstances do not mean that He is punishing us. Maybe like the Israelites needing to walk quietly around Jericho; God wants me to walk quietly with Him, to allow Him to fight the battle? Maybe He needs my quietness so He can speak into someone’s heart? Like maybe my very own heart? Maybe like the disciples, after trying their best to get to the other side of the lake and then being scared out of their wits by Jesus, they were ready to accept Jesus’ help; God is wanting me to give it my best and be willing to accept help.
Another thing I think God wants us to realize is that He often uses the “least likely” like Rahab, she was a prostitute but she hid Joshua’s spies and as long as she put the red cord in her window and stayed in her house she would be safe when they conquered Jericho. And Rahab also looked out for her family even though they may have looked down on her, held her life style against her. Rahab was a prostitute but God used her right where she was, living in sin. Even in our sin God is merciful with us. There were times as the Israelites were going into battle Joshua didn’t seek God’s leading, he went ahead and did it his way. And they ended up at places they never would have if they had only asked God first. But God came through and fought for them even though they were in a place they shouldn’t have been. They were in a wrong place because of the wrong choices they made but still God held the sun and moon in place till the battle was won. And I believe God wants to do the same for me- fight my battles but too often I’m afraid He’ll take me out instead of my enemy. Why is it so hard for me to believe that God is for me and not against me? Why is it so hard to trust that God is looking out for me? Maybe I need to learn to know who God really is, how God truly feels about me.
And I have a hard time believing Rahab continued her life as a prostitute after her encounter with God. When we have an encounter with God it very often changes us and maybe that is another reason God allows the storms, the battles- so our eyes, our hearts will open towards Him. So we can really know who we are and who God really is- – a good, good Father who loves and cares for us passionately and is longing to have a close, living relationship with us. For us to know He’s there dancing in the storm with us.

DSCN2170The fairy garden I made today in the workshop I attended at Ken’s Gardens.

A Raging River and Updates

Posted on by
Reply

The month of February I took part in a Girlfriends Bible Study at Victory Church. The class was entitled “Pursuit of the Promised Land” taught by Marie Monville. This was the little blurb I saw on FaceBook that pulled me in: “Do you feel like life brings more problems than you anticipated? (Yes, way more.) Are you waiting for that moment when everything finally works out perfectly? (I’ve given up on that.) Do you wonder what your circumstances say about God and your relationship with Him? (All the time.) Join us as we look at the life of Joshua and his pursuit of the Promised Land. We will study the experiences of the Israelites and the battles they fought. We will see God’s love and faithfulness in the midst of their difficulties and find ourselves written upon each page. (Ummm- I will see me (and God) in their story?) So here are some of my thoughts from that Bible study, with more to come, hopefully. It was time and money well spent.

bible-collage-5-1146669-1278x1015

Marie opened the Bible study saying she “allowed the Lord to marinate in her heart the story of Joshua for about a year.” I loved that word picture- marinate- allowing my heart to sit in God’s Word, to meditate, to allow it to soak in. And what happens to marinated meat? It gets tender and tasty. I want to allow my heart to be tender, soft, sensitive.

praying-hands-1411879-1280x1920

The Israelites needed to cross the Jordan River to enter the Promised Land but they could not cross the river alone. It was at flood stage; it was a full raging river.  I can see myself in that part of the story. It feels like we’ve been asked to cross a river at flood stage or maybe more accurately we’ve been dropped into a river.

Tributary-of-Jordan-River-Israel

But the priests did have to be brave and have faith. They had to step into the water first then wait on God. And God parted the waters and they walked through on DRY land- not wet, not even damp, the Bible says “dry land”- How amazing is that?! I too, have to take that first step into the water or maybe since I’m in the river, it’s about turning my heart towards my Father; being willing to reach out for Him, then rest in Him. That’s what the priests did, stepped into the river and waited for God and God came through and gave them dry land to walk on. How is God wanting to come through for me and am I willing to allow Him to come through or do I think I need to do this on my own? What might God want to do for me, today? What might it look like for me to walk on dry land? God also calls us to a place of boldness not arrogance. How might God be asking me to be bold, brave? God may allow a huge totally overwhelming situation to come into my life (and He did) but He also has a plan how to help me through it. Yet too often I take my eyes and heart off of Him and see the raging flooded river (the many losses and deep pain) and I feel like I’m drowning. But like Peter all I need to do is to call out to my Father. He is more than willing to carry me through the storm, to be my “peace in the troubled sea”.  Isaiah 43: 2 & 3 says, “When you go through deep waters, I will be with you. When you go through rivers of difficulty, you will not drown. When you walk through the fire of oppression, you will not be burned up; the flames will not consume you. For I am the Lord, your God,
the Holy One of Israel, your Savior.” That’s a very comforting thought, God is in the raging river with me. I also need to remember- this is not about me, its about God and Him getting glory and honor; my story is not the focal point, my story is part of God’s bigger story.

On other news, the eye doctor is very pleased with how Jana’s eyes are progressing. We’ve done eye therapy six weeks now and still have another six weeks to go and then he will do another exam and make a care plan off of those findings. We had her to Hershey for more BOTOX shots. It sure helps to keep her right arm and hand more relaxed. And the Saebo Splint therapy for her right arm and hand is reaching its six month trail period and her one therapist is very pleased that her arm and hand is in a more natural position so we will be going back to occupational therapy. And with Jana participating in Club 625 activities on a monthly basis and also working with a psychologist, we’ve decided speech therapy is no longer needed. She is quite delighted about that.